I'm not quite sure how my daughter came into possession of The Great American Pin-Up by Charles G. Martignette and Louis K. Meisel (her last trip to Germany? a friend's last trip to Germany?), but I though I'd amuse myself the other evening by flipping through its pages to find all the illustrations of women caught in the act of looking sexy while reading.
And fellow readers, I am sorry to report that pin-up artists don't appear to have been greatly inspired by the sight of a woman with reading material at the ready. There's a sexy teacher or two in the collection, but no sexy librarians.
There's the Edward Runci used by Trish at Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin'? seen above, and down below, three works by Edward D'Ancona, and singular paintings by Vaughan Alden Bass, Art Frahm and Gil Elvgren.
That's it.
I'm sure there's a moral or two to this somewhere. Please feel free to leave your suggestions of any that occur to you in the comments.
Krista had received two as gifts, so I got re-gifted one. That's how! :)
ReplyDeleteI've only been asked to pose with books about ten times. Hope that's not too disappointing.
In other modeling news, I am wearing a new bra very similar to the one in the Runci you posted.
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I think you exhausted the pinups with books. :) I like the two bookends, but would like them better if they weren't completely nude. I prefer the hint of something. :)
ReplyDeleteI think their expressions are hilarious. Are they supposed to be shocked at what they're reading, or shocked at being caught reading, or something else...?
ReplyDeleteIt's really, extremely meta information. She's been caught reading, but actually you're the one who has been caught looking at her. She's winking at you because the fourth wall has been broken. So it's the artist winking at the taboo and the joke lands on you.
ReplyDeleteThat "ooooh" face is tough! I give the photographer about a 90 second window before I burst out laughing and they have to take me back to the makeup chair in hysterics.
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Clearly the moral is that reading is sexy. ;)
ReplyDeleteThese are a fun set of pictures. I usally don't like books with a moral, myself.
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