Rea Irvin

Rea Irvin (August 26, 1881 – May 28, 1972) was an American graphic artist and cartoonist best known as the de facto first art editor of *The New Yorker*, though he never held the formal title. He created the magazine’s enduring symbol, Eustace Tilley, for the cover of its debut issue on February 21, 1925, and designed the *New Yorker* typeface. Tilley reappeared annually on the cover each February until 1994. Irvin’s work also appeared in *Life* and *Judge* from 1919 to 1925, where he contributed as artist, colorist, inker, letterer, and writer across 13 issues. His style blended a fondness for 19th-century craftsmanship with the sleek energy of modern city life, a quality one commentator noted as that of “a truly modern bon vivant.” Irvin was born in San Francisco, California, and died in New York City at age 90. His legacy rests on shaping the visual identity of one of America’s most influential magazines, though he received no major formal awards.