A few of his works appear below his biography.
Alberto Vargas
Alberto Vargas was born in Peru in 1896. After completing his studies in Switzerland he moved to New York where he found employment as the official painter for the Ziegfeld Follies. His career as an illustrator for Men's magazines was launched when, in 1940, he replaced pinup artist George Petty at Esquire Magazine. At Esquire's suggestion Vargas dropped the "s" in his name and an American icon, the "Varga Girl," was created. The watercolor and airbrush pinups he created for Esquire from 1940 until 1947 proved to be his most significant work. During this period the Varga Girl became a ubiquitous emblem of wartime America. She appeared on the noses of aircraft, submarines, and torpedoes, as well as in calendars, playing cards, and Esquire Magazine. Beginning in 1957 (and regularly from 1960-1978) Vargas created pinups for Playboy Magazine.
Vargas died in California in 1982.
He was a man of rare talent, and he will be missed.
