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Grapefruit Moon Gallery

Original Art from the Grand Age of American Illustration

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Sorry, It's Sold

A Bathing Beauty in Yellow

Artist:Billy DeVorss
Date:1930s
Medium:Pastel on Illustration Board
Dimensions:Sight Size 30" x 40" Framed 34" x 44"
Condition:Excellent
Original Use:Pin Up Art for The Thos. D. Murphy Calendar Company
Price: S O L D
Above: Full view of large pastel
Above: The artist’s distinctive signature

A large and radiant calendar girl pin up pastel by Billy DeVorss created for The Thomas D. Murphy Calendar Company of Red Oak, Iowa. DeVorss had a studio in New York City in the Beaux Arts Building and worked for many Calendar Companies of the day creating large format pastel illustrations of modernist fashionable attired heart-breakers in an inventive art deco manner.

Above: Detail
Above: Verso label with artists NYC studio address
Above: Thos. D. Murphy verso label

DeVorss was a self taught artist who also created pin ups for The Louis F. Dow Calendar Company of Saint Paul, MN. He also created numerous covers for the early girlie magazine titles of the day such as Titter, Flirt, and Whisper. The “DeVorss Girl” was often times dressed to the nines in the over the top trappings of current fashion and art deco style. We rarely come across his original pastels, this retains a verso label from The Thos. D. Calendar Company and was a published calendar printed commissioned work and thus a prized surviving example.

Above: Framed and lined behind glass
Above: Frame profile and detail

Below is a WWII-era photograph of the 487th squadron and a Billy Devorss image titled “Honey-Moon” as wing-art on their B-25 combat plane, showing the far reaching impact of Devorss’ imagery within the pin-up art genre.

Above: The 487 Squadron alongside the Devorss adorned B-25 bomber plane

A Bathing Beauty in Yellow

Artist: Billy DeVorss
Price:  S O L D

Filed Under: Sorry, It's Sold
Tagged With: 1930s, american, art deco, bathing beauty, Billy DeVorss, Great American Pin-up, original calendar art, pin up, streamline, Thomas D. Murphy Calendar Company
Added to Gallery: October 19, 2010

 

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    About Grapefruit Moon Gallery

    Grapefruit Moon Gallery, based in Minneapolis MN, specializes in vintage pin up and original illustration art.  We are the proud home of the Bunny Yeager archives.

    Since 2003, Grapefruit Moon Gallery has been a leading dealer of exclusive original paintings by Gil Elvgren, Alberto Vargas, Earl Moran, Rolf Armstrong and Henry Clive, as well as vintage photographs, prints, and period decorative arts in ceramic and metal.

    All artworks featured are original, accurately represented, and guaranteed to be the work of the named artist.

    Interested buyers may view pieces by appointment and we are happy to answer any questions you may have. [Contact Us]

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