Author(s): Sarahjane Blum; Louis Meisel; Dian Hanson (Editor)

Photography

Pin-up--drawings, paintings, and pastels of an idealised female face and figure intended for public display--was produced between 1920 and 1970 for calendars, magazine covers, and centerfolds. The majority of original paintings were discarded by publishers and calendar companies after printing, making the surviving art that much more precious.Based on the formidably sized Art of Pin-up, this accessible edition gathers nearly 100 artists alongside in-depth showcases of the top 10 names in the game. Each chapter opens with a reproduction of an original calendar or magazine cover by that artist. The reproduction quality of the paintings, pastels, and preparatory sketches that follow--largely sourced from the original art--invites the viewer to trace the brushstrokes, while the exquisite period calendars, vintage prints, and original model photos document the artists' creative process. Much of these ephemera were photographed on-site at the historic Brown & Bigelow Company, home to the world's largest archive of vintage pin-up calendars.In addition to the chapters on the 10 featured artists, the book includes bios and art of 85 painters, the most complete compendium of pin-up artists ever compiled.