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Original Art from the Grand Age of American Illustration

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Pin-Up & Glamour Art

Ahoy

Artist:Earl Moran
Date:1930s
Medium:Pastel on illustration board
Dimensions:Sight size 10" by 14" - Framed 16 " by 20"
Condition:Excellent
Original Use:Likely preliminary for a proposed Brown & Bigelow calendar image
Full view of pastel
Full view of pastel
The artist's signature lower right
The artist’s signature lower right

A boldly colored and tightly rendered likely preliminary pastel pin-up illustration by Earl Moran, showing an art deco sailor girl living the life aquatic. This dates to the late 1930s, as the outbreak of war in Europe caused both a premonition of America’s eventual involvement into what would become World War II, and a boost in industrial production (particularly shipbuilding) that helped finally break the grip of the Great Depression in the US, and gave the country an upsurge in pride and patriotism. The change in mood in the country led to a number of these pin-up sailor girl uniformed “ship-shape” images. Moran did a series of similar pastels for The Brown & Bigelow calendar company–all with this electric cobalt blue background, one with this same model in fact, all in defiantly proud “Yes We Can” poses. Pastel is in a very fine state of original conservation and handsomely matted and framed behind glass in a period frame.

Framed and matted behind glass in period frame
Framed and matted behind glass in period frame

Below for comparison purposes are views of several published Brown & Bigelow calendar images from this same era and genre.

Earl_Moran_Sailor_girl-add5
Earl_Moran_Sailor_Girl-add2
Earl_Moran_Sailor_Girl-add3
Earl_Moran_Sailer_Girl-add

Ahoy

Artist: Earl Moran

Filed Under: Pin-Up & Glamour Art, Sorry, It's Sold
Tagged With: 1930s, art deco, Brown & Bigelow, Earl Moran, Great Depression, navy, pin up, risque, sailor
Added to Gallery: December 1, 2014

 

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