Alluring Redhead Adores Her Beauty

Clad in black lingerie that clings to her voluptuous figure and, in some places, is bursting at the seams, this luscious, redheaded pin-up girl sits on the floor in front of a makeup case and holds a mirror in her hand, which she uses to admire her perfectly painted face. Published as calendar art under the titles, "Alluring" and "This Is Adoration", this oil on canvas painting is by American pin-up artist and illustrator Howard Connolly.

Painting is framed in a wood frame with gold patina and is is signed by the artist in the lower right.

This piece was previously held in the collection of art dealer and collector Charles G. Martignette.

About the Artist: Howard Connolly

Howard Connolly is best known for his pinup art, but to categorize him as “just” a pinup artist is to do a disservice to his body of work. Connolly was an extremely talented painter, able to switch genres at the drop of a hat.

His seascapes are renowned by collectors in that genre, his woodsy landscapes evoke both extreme nostalgia and tenderness, and his western paintings are some of the finest from this era.

Yes, his pinup art brought him the most commercial success -- and it’s easy to see why. Connolly’s subjects are treated with humanity that many other artists can’t - or won’t - seem to master. His women are deeply human, painted in subtle shades and realistic settings that weren’t always popular at the time. It represents an artist’s eye and aesthetic that is all the more impressive for the genre that it found success in.

Little is known about the early life of Howard Connolly, save for the fact that he never left his native, Rhode Island. He was a quiet, family man who spent two weeks every summer in Westerly at a rented beach home. He created a home studio and invited people to watch him work, and regularly took commissions from locals who wanted specific paintings done.

His techniques (and timeliness, he was prolific) came from an early life in advertisement. This informed his professionalism and his aesthetic as he moved into the pinup world in later decades.

Biography From Heritage Auctions via AskArt