Above: Full view of gouache painting

Above: The artists signature

This dramatic and deftly rendered gouache was created as the cover for Male February 1966 “Yank Imposter In The Luftwaffe,” and reprinted as an interior 2 page spread in the June 1967 issue of For Men Only titled “10 Days To Bring In The Death Head General.” The story line follows the exploits of several still alive Nazi fighter pilots drawn out and foiled by a lone U.S undercover agent. A remarkably tight work that shows Kunstler at his best, using an almost photo-realist technique to create tension, menace and fear.

Above: Verso notations

Above: Detail

In the 1960s and 1970s, men’s magazines exploited Cold War tensions and capitalized on prevalent working class American fears. “The Sweats,” as they are commonly known, followed the blueprint set by the pulp magazines of the previous generation, depicting perceived enemies as savages, Nazis, and Communist torturers.
Leading illustrators in this strangely subversive genre, such as Norman Saunders, James Bama, Norm Eastman, Rafael DeSota and Mort Kunstler, created sensational, figurative illustrations executed in a style markedly similar to Socialist Realism and its associated propaganda imagery.

Above: Male Magazine February 1966 Included in Sale

Above: Framed and matted in simple black wood gallery frame