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Sarahjane's Picks
Sarahjane Blum | Director of Illustration Art
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Where is she looking? That's the question I can't escape every time I encounter this 1927 work by Alberto Vargas. From the light twinkling in her eye to her raised brow and half-smile, it's clear she's got her eye on something good.
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Jules Erbit created a number of these beautiful and inviting calendar girls throughout the 1940s and 1950s. His name first gained recognition as a cover illustrator for 1930s movie magazines, but he had a knack for making the girl next door seem as enchanting as any Hollywood star. Betty is a beauty.
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I love the colors in this deceptively simple work by Al Buell. When it was created, viewers would have instantly recognized this as a modern young woman laughing at the technologies of the past. A fan of TV, drive-ins, and radio, she has no use for the stereoscope in her hands. Instead, she boldly smiles at the audience—something that would have been scandalous when stereoview cards were in vogue.
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Meagen's Picks
Meagen McMillan | Senior Consignment Director, Illustration Art
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Nagel is a powerhouse. His women are fierce, boldly staring at the viewer, daring them to be in their presence—especially when they've just come from the dance studio and are munching on sushi. That's my story for this work, but you can always come up with your own fabulous backstory for this conversation-starting preliminary piece. The final version was published as the March 1984 Chicago magazine cover and is referred to as Commemorative #3. The finished work was introduced to the public after the artist's death—in the same month The Karate Kid movie was released.
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I've long believed that I preferred illustration artwork without lettering or writing on the physical piece, but lately, I keep finding exceptions. Without the lettering, this would still be a beautiful pin-up. But the saucy and flirtatious line "Wanna See More?" doubles down on the campy vibes.
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Ezriel's Picks
Ezriel Wilson | Cataloguer, Fine Art
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Simon Vanderlaan's
Lady With a Lute
caught my eye with its puzzle-like ability to draw you in, making you want to know more. In a flat plane of space, Vanderlaan strategically positions a heavy-lidded blonde against bubblegum pink walls and shaggy carpet, evoking the stylings of Byzantine panels or woodblock prints. The female figure's face appears focused yet soft, her gaze cast at sheet music—some neatly in place, some tossed to the ground. She's mid-song, the lute held to her chest like an elegant bard. Is this a post-romantic moment of inspiration, or was she struck with creativity while preparing for a pre-romantic evening? Is she playing with longing and passion, or simply running through the same melody again? Vanderlaan guides the viewer's eye through the scene with his imaginative use of color and
repetition, from her head to her painted toes. Capture Simon Vanderlaan's songbird for your collection today!
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Al Buell, well known for his pin-up beauties, always brings his A-game. Yet in Flying to Love, Buell showcases his storytelling ability in what was likely an interior illustration for a glossy magazine. A dark-haired, uniformed pilot embraces a rose-lipped redhead—one of Buell's signature beauties—against a pastel background that blends with the flowing fabric of her dress. Is this an embrace of hello or goodbye? Her sharp green eyes turn away as she delicately holds a yellow rose—often a symbol of new beginnings or friendship. This work leaves you longing... or maybe flying straight into love's arms.
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Meagen McMillan
Senior Consignment Director,
Illustration Art
MeagenM@HA.com
(214) 409-1546
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