The storied and turbulent career of glamour artist Alberto Vargas took him from Florenz Ziegfeld’s Follies in the 1920s to Hollywood in the 30s to Esquire magazine and the emergence of the “Varga Girl” in the 40s and, ultimately, to a lasting home at Playboy in the 60s and 70s.
From the time Esquire first introduced America to the Varga Girl in 1940, the name Vargas has been synonymous with pin up and glamour art. In fact, the word “Vargas” has been applied to almost every kind of pin up subject, a fitting tribute to the most famous and prolific glamour artist of all time.
The pin up art of George Petty is some very iconic work. His classic pinup girls are very recognizable, and he is regarded as one of the great pin up artists of the golden age. Like Vargas and Elvgren, Petty had a very long career. A master of airbrush art, he began creating pinup calendar images as early as 1926, and his career lasted until the 1970′s.
