This fantastic Poster / Illustration measures approx. 13" by 17 1/2" and is copyright 1944 by Esquire Inc. The Image features a stunningly beautiful and sultry blong wearing a wonderful, tight fitting, black silk, strapless gown. a poem written by Phil Stack is printed at the upper right hand corner of the sheet and reads in part "Soft in the night the slender girl goes singing, bold in the night the magic torches glow, back to a misty past the worlds go winging, back to a world when April mattered so; Now in the gloom the golden horns are weeping, weeping for all the legends that are dust.....it goes on...".

    We are unsure if this sheet was a centerfold insert in an Esquire Magazine of the period or a separately issued sheet. There is a central, horizontal crease but absolutely no indication of any binding staples along the crease. There is, however, a color illustration on the reverse of a World War II Battle scene titled "The Mission to Port Lyautey" by John Faller.

    Joaquin Alberto Vargas y Chávez (Alberto Vargas) was a noted Peruvian painter of pin-up girls. He is often considered one of the most famous of the pin-up artists. Numerous Vargas paintings have sold and continue to sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Born in Arequipa, Peru, Vargas moved to the United States in 1916 after studying art in Europe in Zurich and Geneva prior to World War I. While in Europe he came upon the French magazine La Vie Parisienne, with a cover by Raphael Kirchner, which he said was a great influence on his work. He was the son of noted Peruvian photographer Max T. Vargas. His early career included work as an artist for the Ziegfeld Follies and for many Hollywood studios. Vargas' most famous piece of film work was that for the 1933 film "The Sin of Nora Moran", which shows a near-naked Zita Johann in a pose of desperation. The poster is frequently named one of the greatest movie posters ever made. He became famous in the 1940s as the creator of iconic World War II era pin-ups for Esquire magazine known as "Vargas Girls." The nose art of many World War II aircraft was adapted from these Esquire pin-ups.

    This outstanding Alberto Vargas Pin-Up Illustration is in very good to excellent condition. The sheet is clean and crisp with no edge wear, tears, damage or repairs of any kind. There is a small spot of thinning on the back side at the upper right hand corner and the central, horizontal crease is rather strong. With a quality matting and framing this wonderful World War II period Alberto Vargas Pin-Up Illustration will display nicely.

    A rare and wonderful, 1944 World War II era Pin-Up Poster /lustration and a fantastic piece of Alberto Vargas /Varga Art!!

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