Cover Analysis: "A Weight Lifted"

The New Yorker magazine cover, "A Weight Lifted", by Barry Blitt

No matter the context, any good analysis is rooted in careful observation. Noticing even minute details and seemingly-obvious patterns can reveal something bigger about the true meaning/nature of the subject at hand. Looking at the covers of The New Yorker, it is clear that the artists leave details to point to a deeper commentary on current events. It is up to the readers to infer what that message is for themselves.

This particular cover, "A Weight Lifted" by Barry Blitt, features a watercolor painting of a bald eagle carrying a disgruntled former president Donald Trump through the air. Its talons are holding Trump by the shoulders, like a real eagle would carry its prey. The eagle is huge, with a wingspan that seems to be bigger than Trump. Trump is dressed in a blue suit, matching blue pants, black shoes, a red tie, and a white shirt underneath. His recognizable wispy yellow hair is clearly visible, and on his face is a look of annoyance. His arms are crossed and his legs are straight back. Strangely, the eagle seems to have a similar look of annoyance on its face as well. The sky consists of alternating bands of a pale blue fading into white, with a brown band at the bottom for the land.

This cover is dated to January 25th, 2021, only a few weeks ago and shortly after the inauguration of Joe Biden as President, with Trump leaving office after one term. This also comes shortly after the events of January 6th, where Trump supporters attacked the US Capitol while Congress was in the middle of confirming the results of the 2020 election. Many Americans are angry at Trump’s actions to stir up the terrorists and alarmed at how far they got into the Capitol building. This attack was the culmination of a months-long legal and social campaign by Trump to overturn the results of the election.

First and foremost, it is fair to say that The New Yorker is a magazine that leans to the left politically, with many of its pieces being written from a liberal perspective. Knowing that, and taking into account the details of the cover, it can be inferred that The New Yorker is celebrating the end of Trump’s presidency, as did millions of Americans across the country. The eagle, the symbol of the United States, is carrying the former President off into the sky, as if her were nothing but an oversized piece of prey. Presumably, the artist is sending the message that Trump's loss and removal from office is being carried out by the will of the American people, which the eagle represents in this painting. Trump’s dissatisfaction with the results of the election (which is shared by his supporters) is clearly visible in his unhappy facial expression. The eagle's face could also be meant to represent the reciprocal annoyance and dissatisfaction of the many Americans who disproved of Trump's performance as president. One final inference that could be made relates to the uncertainty of Trump's fate in this metaphorical scenario; the eagle is looking forward, yet to devour its prey, so Trump's fate is undecided. At the time of this cover's publication, Trump had yet to be tried and acquitted in his second impeachment, so his fate politically was still up in the air. Even now, it remains to be seen whether Americans have seen the last of Donald Trump, as his acquittal leaves him open to future political campaigns.

The clearest meaning that can be inferred from this painting and its context is that the artist and The New Yorker are saying farewell to Trump as president, almost with an air of relief. However, there is also a hint of uncertainty, as now the country must look forward to heal and rebuild, all while leaving Trump walking free of the consequences of his role in the January 6th attack. Like the eagle, the American people are now focusing on looking forward, to what the next four years have in store.