I'm cheating a bit with todays "western week" featurette, by combining a little cheesecake that homages the glamorous side of western gals via three very fun pin-ups. But then again, the whole point is to note the impact of the western genre on pop culture - - - so who's to complain?
Gilette Elvgren (1914-1980) was one of the most important pin-up and glamour artists of the twentieth century. In addition, he was a classical American illustrator. He was a true master of portraying the feminine, but Gil wasn't limited to the calendar pin-up industry. He was strongly influenced by the early "pretty girl" illustrators, such as Charles Dana Gibson, Andrew Loomis, and Howard Chandler Christy. Another influence included the Brandywine School founded by Howard Pyle.
Elvgren enjoyed huge commercial success, with clients ranging from Brown and Bigelow and Coca-Cola to General Electric and the Sealy Mattress Company. Additionally, during the 1940s and 1950s he illustrated stories for a host of magazines, such as The Saturday Evening Post and Good Housekeeping.
Although Elvgren is best known for his fabulous pin-ups, his work for Coca-Cola and others depicted typical Americans — ordinary people doing everyday things.
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