Pin-Ups: Night and Day

by Gil Elvgren (Illustrator), Earl Moran (Illustrator), Al Buell (Illustrator)

This lovely gift book—available in three striking cover options that will be shipped to customers at random—will beguile a new generation with flirtatious representations of femininity from the 1940s and 50s. Illustrations of irresistible pinup models bring teasing frivolity to a range of everyday situations, organized thematically from morning to evening. From sun-kissed beauties at the beach to ski bunnies hitting the slopes, bedside nurses ready to take your temperature to scantily clad runaways, rakish shipmates to not-so-conscientious secretaries, these smiling cuties are ready for fun. Representations of women who embrace their sexuality—flirtatious but never vulgar—have been around since the late nineteenth century, but the pin-up genre skyrocketed into popularity during World War II. The penny arcade trading cards originally viewed on a peep-show style reel and reproduced here as detachable illustrations feature both established pin-up artists and those waiting to be rediscovered. Each illustration is accompanied by a humorous and memorable celebrity quote.

160 pages, Hardcover

First published September 22, 2015

About the author

Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Elvgren attended University High School and after graduation, he studied art at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts before moving to Chicago to study at the American Academy of Art. He graduated the Academy during the depression at the age of 22 and went into advertising.

Then he became strongly influenced by the early so-called 'pretty girl' illustrators, such as the legendary Charles Dana Gibson and others such as Andrew Loomis, and Howard Chandler Christy. In 1937 he began painting calendar pin-ups for Louis F. Dow, one of America's leading publishing companies and during World War II his work was reproduced on American aircraft.

He was so successful in the field, thus began his work on pin-ups, which continued until the 1970s. And he began to produce an annual calendar, which ran to a number of editions.

During the 1940s and 1950s he illustrated stories for many magazines, such as 'The Saturday Evening Post' and 'Good Housekeeping' and it is reputed that he produced over 500 paintings of beautiful girls and women through the 1950s to the 1970s.

Reviews

[B. Barron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good quotes by strong women coupled with great pin-up art.
Faboo!

[Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

A high quality of collection of exotic photos of those days..

[poneysalegaga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Girls and big words. Killer combo.