The Art of Pin-up

One Big Slice of Cheesecake offers a captivating journey of the pin-up genre from its humble beginnings on barracks walls to being celebrated as high art. Since TASCHEN's release of The Great American Pin-up, global appreciation for this uniquely American art form has soared. Collectors are now paying upwards of $200,000 for paintings by renowned artists like Alberto Vargas, George Petty, and Gil Elvgren, compared to just $2,000 back in 1996. Created between 1920 and 1970, pin-up art features idealized portrayals of women, crafted for calendars, magazine covers, and centerfolds. Many original pieces were unfortunately discarded by publishers and calendar producers post-printing, which contributes to the rarity and value of the remaining works. This edition, stemming from the comprehensive Art of Pin-up, presents nearly 100 artists, emphasizing detailed profiles of the top 10 figures in this creative field. Each section begins with a reproduction of an artist's work on a calendar or magazine cover, allowing readers to admire the detailed brushwork through high-quality images of paintings, sketches, and pastels—most sourced from original pieces. These artworks, complemented by exquisite period calendars, vintage prints, and original model photographs, give insight into the artists' methods. A significant portion of these materials was photographed at the historic Brown & Bigelow Company, which boasts the largest collection of vintage pin-up calendars globally. Alongside dedicated chapters on the featured artists, the book encompasses biographies and works of 85 additional painters, making it the most exhaustive collection of pin-up artists compiled. This rich combination of imagery and information makes it an exceptional resource on this ever-popular art form.