Jean-Gabriel Domergue

If you like pinup art you might have heard of the man who himself claimed to be "the inventor of the pin-up". This man's name was Jean-Gabriel Domergue (March 4, 1889 - November 16, 1962). Domergue was a French painter specializing in portraits of Parisian women, and although most people think about the 1940s and 50s when it comes to pinups, I can really see how he could name himself as the inventor of this genre. The women in his paintings are often portrayed more or less nude, a bit provocative, but never pornographic, and always beautiful. I really like his art, so I hope you will too - cause here comes a Domergue pic spam:

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John William Godward

John William Godward (August 9, 1861 - December 13, 1922) was an English painter from the late Pre-Raphaelite/Neo-Classicist era. His work often feature women in Classical dress, semi-nude, or completely nude. Godward studied architecture and dress to be able to meticulously render everything in his paintings in a realistic way. His style wasn't liked at all by new artists like Picasso, and when Godard committed suicide at the age of 61, it is said that he on his suicide note wrote; "the world was not big enough", for both him and Picasso...

I love his paintings though! The vibrant colors, the soft shapes, and the way the fabric flows over these beautiful women's bodies. They all look so relaxed and dreamy...

The Tease

Athenais

The Delphic Oracle

Sweet Nothings

Girl In Yellow Drapery

The Toilette

Autumn

In The Tepidarium

Idleness

Endymion

To see Godward's compete works go here!

Anne W Brigman

Anne W Brigman (1869-1950) began photographing in 1901. She was active in the bohemian community of the San Francisco Bay area, and it didn't take long before she began exhibiting her work in local photographic salons. She became a big influencer on many of her contemporaries, and also ventured into acting and writing poetry.

Self Portrait, 1908. Source

Her photography often depicts female nudes set in landscapes or trees. They often have very staged, dramatic looks, and she frequently used herself as model. After shooting she touched up the negatives with paints, pencils, or superimposition. I find her photos dreamlike, pagan, and femininely liberating.

Soul of a Blasted Pine, Self Portrait, 1908. Source

The Source, 1909. Source

The Bubble, 1907. Source

Heart of the Storm, 1902. Source

The Dying Cedar. Source

The Spider's Web, 1908. Source

The Breeze, 1910. Source

Incantation, 1905. Source

Christian Martin Weiss

Just found a really good photographer I hadn't heard about before - Christian Martin Weiss! He is also an illustrator and a graphic designer, and here is some of his work:

All photos are from Christian-Martin-Weiss.com