A pretty blonde secretary, dressed in form-fitting business casual with flowers in her hair perches seductively on a foam green Heywood Wakefield office desk, with one hand on the phone teasing the viewer to “Call Again.“ Earl Moran was a master pastel artist, known for his evocative chiaroscuro light and shadow effects. This is a superior and commanding published example of his talents; a Minnesota estate find that our gallery previously sold in June of 2011 after having been in private hands for nearly twenty years. We recently took the pastel in on consignment from our original buyer and were delighted to have acquired it again for sale. Condition is pristine and the work is housed in a custom made, lined gallery frame behind ultraviolet glass. A 1948 Brown & Bigelow advertising calendar of the image is included with sale. A full page color plate of “Call Again“ appears in the recently published Taschen volume The Art Of Pin-Up in the chapter on Earl Moran written by Grapefruit Moon Gallery co-owner Sarahjane Blum.

Though Earl Moran had been a national celebrity since 1940, when LIFE magazine featured his work in an extensive feature titled “Speaking of Pictures,” the late 1940s are today considered the most interesting of Moran’s career. The artist moved to Hollywood in 1946 where he quickly began working with a young Blue Book model named Norma Jeane, who would go on to stardom as Marilyn Monroe. The pair worked together often in the years between 1946-1950 and their association has kept Moran’s luminous artworks in the public eye to this day.  Earl Moran was one of the century’s most important pin-up artists and a true star in the illustration world. This large and defining example truly has it all.