Art And History

Henry Luce was a proponent of the great man theory of history, a belief that individuals, more than the collective forces of society, determine the course of human events. Luce's philosophy manifested itself most clearly on TIME's cover, with its hallmark portraits of people in the news. Over the years TIME has commissioned more and more distinguished artists of the day to portray its cover subjects. The practice has yielded a unique collection of more than 1,800 pieces in a dazzling range of styles and media. Appropriately for this anniversary, 75 of them will go on display at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington on March 20 and then after four months embark on a two-year, multicity tour. Inside this gatefold you will find two dozen representatives of a collection--and a tradition--that will only continue to grow.