"Wanda", this exquisite oil on canvas painting of model Wanda Pickett is signed lower left, and dated on reverse: 5/25/1933. Gil (Gillette) Elvgren was an American painter of pin-up girls, advertising and illustration. Elvgren was one of the most important glamour artists of the twentieth century. Today he is best known for his pin-up paintings for Brown & Bigelow. Elvgren studied at the American Academy of Art. He was a master of portraying the all-American ideal feminine, but he wasn't limited to the calendar pin-up industry. He was strongly influenced by the early "pretty girl" illustrators, such as Charles Dana Gibson, Andrew Loomis, and Howard Chandler Christy. Other influences included the Brandywine School founded by Howard Pyle. In 1937, Gil began painting calendar pin-ups for Louis F. Dow, one of America's leading publishing companies, during which time he created about 60 works. Around 1944, Gil was approached by Brown and Bigelow, a firm that still dominates the field in producing calendars and advertising specialties. He was associated with Brown and Bigelow from 1945 to 1972. Elvgren lived in various locations, and was active from the 1930s to 1970s. His clients ranged from Brown and Bigelow and Coca-Cola to General Electric and Sealy Mattress Company. In addition, during the 1940s and 1950s he illustrated stories for a host of magazines, such as The Saturday Evening Post and Good Housekeeping. Elvgren died in 1980 at Siesta Key, Florida. Overall size: 34 1/4 x 28 1/4 in. Sight size: 29 1/4 x 23 1/4 in. Please note that all sales are final. No refunds will be given under any circumstances.