The Art of Pin-up (XXL Collectors Edition)

Hardcover | 29.5 x 6.4 x 40.5 cm | 546 pp

Taschen | 2014 | 9783836535700

Boxed

Condition
Book: Mint, Shrink wrapped
Box: A few small dents

The Art of Pin-up offers in depth profiles of some of the leading artists of the genre. Each chapter opens with a tipped-in reproduction of an original calendar or magazine cover by the 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 thumbnail bios and representative art of 85 additional artists, the most complete compendium of pin-up artists ever compiled. All this adds up to a hard-to-beat book on this popular subject.

In the 15 years since TASCHEN released The Great American Pin-up, international interest in this distinctly American art form has increased exponentially. Paintings by leading artists such as Alberto Vargas, George Petty, and Gil Elvgren that sold for $ 2,000 in 1996 are going for $ 200,000 and more today. Pin-up―drawings, paintings, and pastels of an idealized female face and figure intended for public display―was produced between 1920 and 1970 for use on 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. Today its popularity is huge, and ripe for an equally huge and truly comprehensive Collector’s Edition.