Saturday, March 15, 2014

Happy Birthday Gil Elvgreen

 
 
 
Today marks the birthday of an important vintage pin up artist, the Norman Rockwell of cheese AKA, Gil Elvgren.  If you have ever admired a picture of curvaceous 40s, 50s, or 60s pin up, usually with her skirt askew from some improbable mishap, then you have seen Elvgren's work.

Elvgren was born on March 15, 1914 in St.  Paul Minnesota.  He studied art at the Minneapolis Institute and the Chicago Academy of American Art.  Elvgren was heavily influenced by classic American Illustrators like Charles Gibson and like Norman Rockwell he favored a realistic, pretty approach to art. Like Rockwell, he worked with live models


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for all of his pictures. 
From the 1930s through the 70s Elvgren illustrated for Coca-Cola, General Electric and made calendars for Brown and Bigelow.
Elvgren didn't just paint beautiful women though, dogs were a frequent feature in his art.  Often the cause of a beautiful women's clothing coming to disarray.  Below are some of Elvgren's illustrations featuring dogs.

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5 comments:

  1. Look at all the pups who graced those lovely photos too.
    Does your mom remember the famous picture of the sailor kissing the nurse on the New York dock? I believe it made front page in 1944. Anyway they sailor was from Salisbury,NC. We saw in the paper this morning that he passed away.
    Hugs madi your new bfff

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  2. What fantastic pictures, so cute.
    Thank you for the vote of confidence on the broccoli recipe :)
    Lynne x

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  3. Happy birthday to Elvgren! I love the pictures, they are very cute :-)

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  4. They are funny and witty and we think she was very clever.
    Have a serene Sunday and let us all get on some big easy today.
    Best wishes Molly

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  5. Just love those old pictures. Have a super Sunday xxxoxxx


    Mollie and Alfie

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