Customer Reviews

The Best of Gil Elvgren

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I think this is a wonderful poster book...a must for all Elvgren lovers. A first class collaboration by B&B, Reid Austin & King of Pin-up...Art Amsie. Be sure to add this to your pin-up library! Signed: Marianne Ohl Phillips, author of Pin-Up Poster Book : The Elvgren Collection

This book has a short introduction to the artist and then jumps quickly into 16 large, color plates featuring some of Gil's best. A great book to get some excellent examples of his work.

I bought this book for a friend who likes pin up art. Very sexy, sensual, and cute. We liked the book but I was hoping there would be more pictures in the book. I bought it last minute (and was too lazy to really shop around) but, if you do shop around (which I did later), you can find similar books for around the same price but more photos (better value). My friend said that she might take the photos out of the book and frame them for wall art.

Gil Elvgren kind of painted porno, except porno hadn't been invented during his career so he just painted mostly nude ladies looking all sassy. Back in the 40s you could go to jail for this, but the president was worried about what would happen if he put America's best proto-pornographer in a big prison full of guys who aren't supposed to be enjoying themselves. So he made Gil a deal: Gil would go to Axis Europe and paint a bunch of ladies in their underpants with Hitler's head, and everyone would see and laugh the Nazis right back to Berlin.

Gil Elvgren was paradropped into Normandy where he was promptly captured because he wasn't a commando or anything, just a horny guy with an art degree. For almost a year he languished in prison, with only a stump of charcoal and toilet paper to draw porno with. His work from these years, while highly erotically charged, is not in this book because there's only so good charcoal porno drawn on toilet paper can get. Eventually, Gil was rescued by the crew of a bomber that had landed behind enemy lines. The crew needed to fly back to England but knew they would be shot down instantly because the Germans had a lot of anti-aircraft guns and didn't have much to distract them since their one prisoner, Gil Elvgren, had now escaped.

Things looked grim until Gil airbrushed a huge topless cowgirl on the nose of the bomber. The ruse worked, and the Germans were so utterly bewildered by what they saw that they allowed the allied plane to escape. Back in England, the paint job really caught on and soon Gil Elvgren was painting undressed ladies on everything with a propeller, except for the the planes of guys who wanted Pluto the dog instead. It didn't really work for very long because the Germans were easily surprised but not stupid. Nonetheless, Gil Elvgren was knighted for his heroic service to freedom and went on to be the personal artist for Joseph Stalin.

Anyway, this is a great book of his stuff, and you won't be disappointed.

The pics are big and great. Wish there was a bit more content but, very nice over all.

What can I say-just beautiful works of art.
I only wish there was more of it.-My only reason for one less star.

The perfect pinup consists of the skillful presentation of two contradictory conditions: youthful innocence and latent sensuality.

Better than all of his contemporaries,Gil Elvgren has achieved this difficult goal. His philosophy: Sweetness can be sexy, Innocence can be sexy, and Shyness can be devastatingly aggressive.

This book is a magnificent presentation of that philosophy.

In the harmonious blending of his basic elements, Elvgren's works represent the apotheosis of pinup art.

"Best of Elvgren" is a MUST for all collectors.

This book is a bit overpriced for what it is. I have seen better Elvgren examples.

Excellent artwork of glamour past! Gil Elvgren just seems to have the touch that competes with Vargas and most all the Glamour artists!