Alberto Vargas-Esquire's artist extraordinaire

[Lincsong]

During his career, Alberto Vargas has always been associated with the cutting edge giants who adored the American woman. The Peruvian-born artist began his career in the United States as the official ...(show more)painter for the Ziegfeld Follies from 1919 to 1934. After his Ziegfeld years, Alberto moved to Hollywood where he was employed as an artist by various movie studios until 1940 when he was hired to replace pinup artist George Petty at Esquire magazine. Apart from gracing the pages of Esquire magazine from 1940 until 1947, his flawless watercolor and airbrushed Varga Girls adorned aircraft, ships, and even uniform Jackets of the US servicemen during the World War II era. The late 1950s marked the debut of the “Vargas Girls” in the pages of ******* Magazine. Beginning in 1960 until 1976, Alberto's Vargas Girls regularly graced the pages of ******* as a monthly feature. Both the “Varga” and the “Vargas” girls are included among the most recognizable cultural icons of the 20th century.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

I've painted Varga girls on most of my A2 nose art jackets thus far. They are just so archetypal to the era of aircraft noseart.

 

[Lincsong]

At Drai's Restaurant at The Barbary Coast in Las Vegas they have a Vargas painting. He really captured the beauty of the era's females. I don't think there is a modern artist that comes close to his drawings.

 

[BJonas]

An excuse to link to my favorite Vargas Girl

Back when I played the bass guitar she adorned it like nose art

 

[Lincsong]

Very classy indeed.:eusa_clap

 

[GentlemanFarmer]

My Dad's bomber

My Dad's B-24 had a Vargas ******* it's nose. He had it painted on his bomber jacket along with his unit and wing insignias. He didn't have it with him when he was shot down in 1944. It was lost when his footlocker was shipped home.

His granddaughter (my oldest) works for the CAF and had the jacket reproduced for him right before he died last year.

 

[Lincsong]

Other Drawings

 

[BJonas]

That's one of two pictures (that I know of) where he was in a rush and painted 6 fingers on one hand by accident.

(useless trivia is my forte )

 

[Lincsong]

Picture is too small for me to see. I never would have looked that closely.lol I think one of his contracts required that he produce one drawing a week and he was like a madman to get them done.

 

[Lincsong]

When I get a boat this is going on it.

[/IMG]

 

[Spitfire]

Back when I played the bass guitar she adorned it like nose art

Mine too!

 

[BJonas]

This one was on the outside of the carrying case:

When I got rid of my bass, you can be sure I was very careful to take them off and preserve them

What about George Petty, Vargas' competitor? What was the deal with the telephone ******? I have a book about him, but have yet to get to the heart of the phone mystery.[huh]

 

[Lincsong]

George Petty?:eusa_doh: You got me stumped on that one. Do you have any of his works you particularly like?

 

[BJonas]

Never heard of George Petty? Billy DeVorss? Gil Elvgren?

Ah, well. Here's a petty link: http://www.umtoquedearte.com/silver/petty1.htm

And a typical phone-call taking Petty girl:

 

[BJonas]

Oh, yeah: they even made a movie about the Petty Girl called... uh, "The Petty Girl".

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042844/

It stars Elsa Lanchester (the Bride of Frankenstein)

 

[BJonas]

A total non-sequitur

Have a good weekend, everybody!!

 

[Lincsong]

Never heard of George Petty? Billy DeVorss? Gil Elvgren?

Ah, well. Here's a petty link: http://www.umtoquedearte.com/silver/petty1.htm

And a typical phone-call taking Petty girl:

Bada Bing!:eusa_clap

 

[Roger]

Truly talented artists.:eusa_clap Of course he has a Portuguese last name.lol

 

[Marc Chevalier]

The picture's still there! MK must be asleep at the wheel lol

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[Marc Chevalier]

You can buy Petty Girl cutout fridge magnets. Pretty large, too.

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