June pin-up girl by artist Alberto Vargas

This June pin-up girl was published in 1947 by Esquire Magazine and was painted by Alberto Vargas.

When Alberto Vargas and Esquire went their separate ways in 1946, the artist immediately embarked upon a project to publish his own yearly calendar. In the meantime, the magazine published an Esquire Calendar for 1947 that consisted completely of unsigned Vargas paintings. By the time Vargas' 1948 calendar was published, Esquire had a court order barring the artist from selling or distributing any product bearing the name "Varga", which the magazine had copyrighted.

In 1950, a court ruled that Vargas would have to sign all his subsequent paintings with his full name.

ARTIST :: Alberto Vargas
DATE :: 1947
Copyright © Esquire Inc

May pin-up girl by artist Ernest Chiriaka

This May pin-up girl was published in 1954 by Esquire Magazine and was painted by Ernest Chiriaka.

Chiriaka took over the magazine's pin-up calendar from Al Moore in 1953, a great responsibility since the calendar was the largest-selling and most popular in the world.

ARTIST :: Ernest Chiriaka
DATE :: 1954
Copyright © Esquire Inc