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Joaquin Alberto Vargas y Chávez (9 February 1896 – 30 December 1982) was a
Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...
vian-American
painter Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ...
of pin-up girls. He is often considered one of the most famous of the pin-up artists. Numerous Vargas paintings have sold and continue to sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars.


Life and career

Born in
Arequipa Arequipa (; Aymara and qu, Ariqipa) is a city and capital of province and the eponymous department of Peru. It is the seat of the Constitutional Court of Peru and often dubbed the "legal capital of Peru". It is the second most populated city ...
,
Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...
, he was the son of noted Peruvian photographer Max T. Vargas. Alberto Vargas moved to the United States in 1916 after studying art in Europe, particularly in Zurich and Geneva, prior to World War I. While he was in Europe he came upon the French magazine '' La Vie Parisienne,'' with a cover by
Raphael Kirchner Raphael Kirchner (1876 – 2 August 1917) was an Austrian artist, principally a portrait painter and illustrator best known for Art Nouveau and early pin-up work, especially in picture postcard format. His work served as an early inspiration to P ...
, which he said was a great influence on his work. His early career in New York included work as an artist for the
Ziegfeld Follies The ''Ziegfeld Follies'' was a series of elaborate theatrical revue productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 to 1931, with renewals in 1934 and 1936. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as ''The Ziegfeld Follies of the Ai ...
and for many Hollywood studios. Ziegfeld hung his painting of Olive Thomas at the theater, and she was thought of as one of the earliest Vargas Girls. Vargas' most famous piece of film work was the poster of the 1933 film ''
The Sin of Nora Moran ''The Sin of Nora Moran'' is a 1933 American pre-code melodrama and proto-noir film directed by Phil Goldstone and based on the short story "Burnt Offering" by W. Maxwell Goodhue. The film is also known as ''Voice from the Grave'' (American reis ...
'', which portrays a near-naked Zita Johann in a pose of desperation, bearing little resemblance to the real actress. The poster is frequently named one of the greatest movie posters ever made. Vargas became famous in the 1940s as the creator of iconic World War-II era pin-ups for ''Esquire'' magazine known as "Vargas Girls." Between 1940 and 1946 Vargas produced 180 paintings for the magazine. The
nose art Nose art is a decorative painting or design on the fuselage of an aircraft, usually on the front fuselage. While begun for practical reasons of identifying friendly units, the practice evolved to express the individuality often constrained b ...
of many American and Allied
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
aircraft An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to flight, fly by gaining support from the Atmosphere of Earth, air. It counters the force of gravity by using either Buoyancy, static lift or by using the Lift (force), dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in ...
was inspired and adapted from these ''Esquire'' pin-ups, as well as those of George Petty, and other artists. In 2004,
Hugh Hefner Hugh Marston Hefner (April 9, 1926 – September 27, 2017) was an American magazine publisher. He was the founder and editor-in-chief of ''Playboy'' magazine, a publication with revealing photographs and articles which provoked charges of obsc ...
, the founder and Editor-in-Chief of ''
Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's Lifestyle magazine, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from H ...
'', who had previously worked for ''Esquire'', wrote: "The US Post Office attempted to put ''Esquire'' out of business in the 1940s by taking away its second-class mailing permit. The Feds objected, most especially, to the cartoons and the pin-up art of Alberto Vargas. ''Esquire'' prevailed in the case that went to the
Supreme Court A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
, but the magazine dropped the cartoons just to be on the safe side". A legal dispute with ''Esquire'' over the use of the name "Varga" resulted in a judgement against Vargas. He struggled financially until 1959 when ''
Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's Lifestyle magazine, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from H ...
'' magazine began to use his work. Over the next 16 years he produced 152 paintings for the magazine. His career flourished and he had major exhibitions of his work all over the world. Vargas' artistic work, paintings and color drawings, were periodically featured in some issues of ''Playboy'' magazine in the 1960s and 1970s. The death of his wife Anna Mae in 1974 left him devastated, and he stopped painting. Anna Mae had been his model and business manager, his muse in every way. The publication of his autobiography in 1978 renewed interest in his work and brought him partially out of his self-imposed retirement to do a few works, such as album covers for
The Cars The Cars were an American rock band formed in Boston in 1976. Emerging from the new wave scene in the late 1970s, they consisted of Ric Ocasek ( rhythm guitar), Benjamin Orr ( bass guitar), Elliot Easton ( lead guitar), Greg Hawkes ( keyboar ...
(''
Candy-O ''Candy-O'' is the second studio album by American rock band the Cars, released on June 13, 1979 by Elektra Records. Produced by Roy Thomas Baker, the album spawned two singles, " Let's Go" (number 14 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100) and " It's ...
'', 1979) and Bernadette Peters (''Bernardette Peters'', 1980; ''Now Playing'', 1981). He died of a stroke on 30 December 1982, at the age of 86. Many of Vargas' works from his period with ''Esquire'' are now held by the
Spencer Museum of Art The Spencer Museum of Art is an art museum operated by the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the Spencer Museum seeks to "...present its collection as a living archive that motivates object- ...
at the University of Kansas. It was given those works in 1980 along with a large body of other art from the magazine. At the December 2003
Christie's Christie's is a British auction house founded in 1766 by James Christie. Its main premises are on King Street, St James's in London, at Rockefeller Center in New York City and at Alexandra House in Hong Kong. It is owned by Groupe Artémi ...
auction of ''
Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's Lifestyle magazine, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from H ...
'' archives, the 1967 Vargas painting ''Trick or Treat'' sold for $71,600. His work was typically a combination of
watercolor Watercolor (American English) or watercolour (British English; see spelling differences), also ''aquarelle'' (; from Italian diminutive of Latin ''aqua'' "water"), is a painting method”Watercolor may be as old as art itself, going back to ...
and
airbrush An airbrush is a small, Pneumatics, air-operated tool that Atomizer nozzle, atomizes and sprays various media, most often paint but also ink and dye, and Foundation (cosmetics), foundation. Spray painting developed from the airbrush and is c ...
. His mastery of the airbrush is acknowledged by the founding of the Vargas Award, awarded annually by '' Airbrush Action Magazine'', which was named after him. Despite always using figure models, he often portrayed elegantly dressed, semi-
nude Nudity is the state of being in which a human is without clothing. The loss of body hair was one of the physical characteristics that marked the biological evolution of modern humans from their hominin ancestors. Adaptations related to h ...
to nude women of idealized proportions. Vargas' artistic trait would be slender fingers and toes, with nails often painted red. Vargas is widely regarded as one of the finest artists in his genre. He also served as a judge for the
Miss Universe Miss Universe is an annual international beauty pageant that is run by a United States and Thailand based Miss Universe Organization.Natalie Tadena (July 2, 2015"Donald Trump's Miss USA Pageant Lands on Reelz Cable Channel". ''The Wall St ...
beauty contest from 1956 to 1958. Notable women painted by Vargas include Olive Thomas,
Billie Burke Mary William Ethelbert Appleton Burke (August 7, 1884 – May 14, 1970) was an American actress who was famous on Broadway and radio, and in silent and sound films. She is best known to modern audiences as Glinda the Good Witch of the North ...
, Nita Naldi, Marilyn Miller,
Paulette Goddard Paulette Goddard (born Marion Levy; June 3, 1910 – April 23, 1990) was an American actress notable for her film career in the Golden Age of Hollywood. Born in Manhattan and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, Goddard initially began her career ...
, Bernadette Peters,
Irish McCalla Nellie Elizabeth "Irish" McCalla (December 25, 1928 – February 1, 2002) was an American film and television actress and artist best known as the title star of the 1950s television series ''Sheena, Queen of the Jungle''. She co-starred with act ...
, Ruth Etting and Candy Moore from
The Cars The Cars were an American rock band formed in Boston in 1976. Emerging from the new wave scene in the late 1970s, they consisted of Ric Ocasek ( rhythm guitar), Benjamin Orr ( bass guitar), Elliot Easton ( lead guitar), Greg Hawkes ( keyboar ...
' ''
Candy-O ''Candy-O'' is the second studio album by American rock band the Cars, released on June 13, 1979 by Elektra Records. Produced by Roy Thomas Baker, the album spawned two singles, " Let's Go" (number 14 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100) and " It's ...
'' album.


See also

*
List of pin-up artists This is a list of notable artists who work primarily in the medium of the pin-up. {{compact ToC , center=yes , side=yes , i=I, u=U, x=X, z=Z , seealso=yes , nobreak=yes A * Arnold Armitage * Rolf Armstrong * Aslan B * Joyce Ballantyne * Mc ...
*
Olivia De Berardinis Olivia De Berardinis, known professionally as Olivia, is an American artist who is famous for her paintings of women, often referred to as pinup or cheesecake art. She has been working in this genre since the mid-1970s, becoming a contributor t ...
*
San Francisco Art Exchange San Francisco Art Exchange LLC is an art gallery in San Francisco, California, United States, founded in 1983. The gallery first rose to prominence through its role in establishing the work of pinup artist Alberto Vargas as fine art. Less than a ...


Notes


References

* * * * *


External links


Alberto Vargas, a history, family photos and gallery.




{{DEFAULTSORT:Vargas, Alberto 1896 births 1982 deaths 20th-century Peruvian painters 20th-century Peruvian male artists Album-cover and concert-poster artists American illustrators Film poster artists Latin American artists of indigenous descent People from Arequipa Peruvian emigrants to the United States Peruvian erotic artists Pin-up artists Playboy illustrators Peruvian male painters