The Art of Le Guin's The Left Hand of Darkness
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin, first published in 1969.
Early covers
A strong thread of cover illustrations show dual image. Here, it could be two people -- Genly Ai and Estraven -- or the dual nature of the Gethenians. |
An early hardback cover, prefiguring much of the cover art of the late 20th and early 21st centuries with its emphasis on a minimalist blue and white landscape. |
Buildings
clearer here in the original. |
An unusual treatment; possibly the spaceship that brought Genly Ai to Gethen, or perhaps one of the buildings on Gethen? |
Abstracts
Landscapes
 A popular paperback cover -- note the Janus-like figure referring to the Gethenians' dual nature. |
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A popular paperback cover -- note the Janus-like figure referring to the Gethenians' dual nature. |
Human elements
http://www.deboekenplank.nl/naslag/aut/l/leguin_u.htm
- Faces
An outlier among covers, with the imagery evocative of flames, and a strongly masculine face -- Genly Ai's, perhaps? The Promethean imagery also does not seem particularly apt -- presumably, a reference to the Gethenians' fears about what Genly Ai might be bringing them. |
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A popular paperback cover -- note the Janus-like figure referring to the Gethenians' dual nature. |
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An early hardback cover, prefiguring much of the cover art of the late 20th and early 21st centuries with its emphasis on a minimalist blue and white landscape. |
- Hands
 |
An outlier among covers, with the imagery evocative of flames, and a strongly masculine face -- Genly Ai's, perhaps? The Promethean imagery also does not seem particularly apt -- presumably, a reference to the Gethenians' fears about what Genly Ai might be bringing them. |
A popular paperback cover -- note the Janus-like figure referring to the Gethenians' dual nature. |
A strong thread of cover illustrations show dual image. Here, it could be two people -- Genly Ai and Estraven -- or the dual nature of the Gethenians. |
