Sadly, many of the New York Times’s “best” Illustrations of 2025 are animated, removing them from consideration. Many others are merely garish, or negligible in diverse ways. Not a good year for illustration, but for the craver of artful graphics the following four specimens have legs.
I live in Texas and devote much of my time to easel painting on an amateur basis. I stream a lot of music, mostly jazz, throughout the day. I like to read and memorize poetry.
EthicalDative 
Of the 40 ‘Best’ Illustrations, 4 Are Good
Sadly, many of the New York Times’s “best” Illustrations of 2025 are animated, removing them from consideration. Many others are merely garish, or negligible in diverse ways. Not a good year for illustration, but for the craver of artful graphics the following four specimens have legs.
Leonie Bos, from When Beauty Standards and Body Positivity Collide.
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Aldo Jarillo, from I Teach Creative Writing. This Is What A.I. Is Doing to Students.
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Magali Cazo, from Joyce Carol Oates on a Mesmerizing New Story Collection .
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Xiao Hua Yang, from Let’s Talk About Death.
(“The 40 Best Illustrations of 2025,” New York Times, 12-26-25)
(c) 2025 JMN — EthicalDative. All rights reserved
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About JMN
I live in Texas and devote much of my time to easel painting on an amateur basis. I stream a lot of music, mostly jazz, throughout the day. I like to read and memorize poetry.