\BOctober 1942 Gatefold: Varga Girls were both sweet and seductive; here the artist marries innocent flirtation with evocative sexuality by giving his guitar player an alluring bare-footed pose.
Copyright 1942 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:2
\BMarch 1943 Gatefold: This March 1943 Varga Girl bears a note beginning with a V, perhaps symbolizing Victory or even Vargas himself.
Copyright 1943 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:3
\BMay 1945 Gatefold: Casually twirling her hair with one hand and pinching her pillow with the other, this stunning blonde has a decidedly playful look in her eye; this is also one of the few paintings to show a prop, such as a pillow - most of his girls sat or reclined on invisible backgrounds.
Copyright 1945 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:4
\BJuly 1942 Gatefold: In the middle of World War II, Vargas often showed his July calendar girls in patriotic red, white, and blue uniforms, with small stars added for further inspiration.
Copyright 1942 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:5
\BJanuary 1947 Calendar: Is she resting and remembering after a wonderful New Year's Eve party? This January 1947 calendar girl seems like she's half-dreaming as she idly plays with the ribbon on her star-spangled party dress.
Copyright 1947 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:6
\BFebruary 1941 Gatefold: Glamorous poses like this might have been inspired by Vargas' Hollywood years, or from the movies of the day - this was, after all, the Golden Age of Cinema with all the ravishing screen sirens at the height of their popularity.
Copyright 1941 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:7
\BSeptember 1945 Gatefold: It's not clear what this seductively posed Varga Girl is doing with her see-through black silk - is she holding it down with her right hand, or is she about to lift it up? That's about the only thing left to the imagination in this alluring painting.
Copyright 1945 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:8
\BOctober 1947 Calendar: What else for harvest season than this sensual farmer's daughter for the October '47 calendar, inviting with her cornsilk-blue eyes, country-lace sleeves, and modified coveralls that don't really cover all.
Copyright 1947 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:9
\BMarch 1941 Calendar: Ready for bed, or still getting dressed? This Varga Girl from March '41 stretches in her sheer silk, showing off her strong back and luxurious stockings.
Copyright 1941 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:10
\BOctober 1944 Gatefold: Varga had paintings to celebrate all the traditional American celebrations, including Christmas, July 4th, and Halloween, as shown here with this bewitching girl with pumpkin-colored hair.
Copyright 1944 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:11
\BApril 1944 Military Edition: Vargas usually showed his girls playful and posed. Here he catches one in an unguarded moment, turning to see who's approaching, but her beckoning glance suggests that she knows whom to expect.
Copyright 1944 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:12
\BOctober 1940 Gatefold: This was the very first Varga Girl foldout to appear in Esquire (October, 1940); it was an immediate success and prompted Vargas to create a 12-month calendar.
Copyright 1940 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.\b
No:13
\BJune 1941 Gatefold: Vargas always managed to combine innocence with sexiness - here his white-clad bride, wearing a ring on her finger, gets ready to kick up her heels with a display of reckless abandon.
Copyright 1941 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:14
\BDecember 1942 Gatefold: A mirror and a Santa mask raise more questions than they answer in this holiday pose; note how the hair color suits the season and the outfit.
Copyright 1942 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:15
\BMarch 1946 Gatefold: Varga Girls were always perfectly color-coordinated - here, the lace of the costume is picked up in the hair highlights, while of course the nail polish and lipstick all match to make her a collage of soft, creamy colors.
Copyright 1946 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:16
\BMarch 1942 Gatefold: This is another one of the Varga Girls created to appeal to the many Vargas fans in the military; she dreamily reclines after reading the letter in her right hand.
Copyright 1942 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:17
\BMay 1946 Gatefold: Leaving much to the imagination, this Varga Girl doesn't even reveal her face as she gets undressed; note how the vertical line from her legs to her back and up through her middle finger is carried through the part in her hair.
Copyright 1946 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:18
\BFebruary 1943 Gatefold:The sweet heart-shaped decolletage and bright red flower offset the sexy smile on the lips of this Varga Girl as she gently tugs at her ribbon.
Copyright 1943 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:19
\BMay 1943 Calendar: Unlike many of the other poses that bend, contort, or fold up the girls into all kinds of interesting positions, this painting stretches out the Varga Girl for May '43, allowing Vargas to emphasize her long sleek lines.
Copyright 1943 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:20
\BJune 1943 Calendar: As war raged in the South Pacific, this alluring green-eyed beach beauty gave American soldiers an island image worth fighting for.
Copyright 1943 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:21
\BFebruary 1946 Calendar: Not many paintings pose the girl on actual objects, and if they do the objects are usually distinct (prows of boats, surfboards, etc.); this Varga Girl rests on lumps of rock that could pass for piles of sand or even sheets.
Copyright 1946 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:22
\BJanuary 1946 Gatefold: By standing his model on her toes, Vargas could highlight the strong, taut lines down her back and legs; his girl knows what her best assets are as she teasingly toys with her bathing suit top and palms the fabric with her right hand.
Copyright 1946 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:23
\BSeptember 1946 Calendar: A movie-star costume and a movie-star pose - when he created this curvy beauty, Vargas may have been thinking back to his five years in the `30s when he worked for Hollywood studios; as usual, everything is bigger than life, including her gigantic sun hat that has to be held by two hands.
Copyright 1946 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:24
\BApril 1943 Calendar: In 1943, most of the calendar images in Esquire, including this one for April, were deemed obscene by Postmaster General Frank C. Walker.
Copyright 1943 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:25
\BJune 1943 Gatefold: Perhaps Vargas took his inspiration for this painting from the dancers he saw around him when he worked with the Ziegfeld Follies in New York and then for the studios in Hollywood - poses, figures, and glamorous women like this would have been a natural part of the entertainment scene in both cities.
Copyright 1943 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:26
\BApril 1946 Gatefold: April blooms bring spring scents to this topless Varga Girl, with a precise flower arrangement adding careful concealment.
Copyright 1946 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:27
\BApril 1945 Gatefold: Something for our boys at sea (with the war in Europe won, all attention now focused on Japan and the South Pacific); this glamorous blonde wears a modified sailor suit and studies semaphore signals, though she seems to be playfully signaling her confusion more than anything.
Copyright 1945 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:28
\BJune 1947 Calendar: A bouquet of summer sunshine crowns this Varga Girl for the June '47 calendar. Strong and healthy in this unusual pose, her slightly sunburned shoulders match her rosy cheeks, and toned muscles are evident in her upper arms. Gone are reminders of the war, which ended two years before - relaxation and health are the new themes.
Copyright 1947 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:29
\BApril 1941 Calendar: While most of the Varga Girls are in wholesome poses wearing colorful outfits, some were downright lascivious, as with this sultry calendar girl wearing a phone cord.
Copyright 1941 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:30
\BMay 1944 Gatefold: With her glamorous blonde hair and perfectly coordinated outfit, this Varga Girl was possibly inspired by Vargas' five years in Hollywood (1934-1939) when he painted some of the top actresses in the movies.
Copyright 1944 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:31
\BAugust 1942 Calendar: A long straight diagonal line from her extended right foot all the way up to her left shoulder defines this swim-suited Varga Girl.
Copyright 1942 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:32
\BSeptember 1941 Gatefold: A blustery fall day reveals but doesn't dishevel this September beauty in glorious red; the real question is who's the lucky recipient of her beckoning left hand.
Copyright 1941 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:33
\BAugust 1941 Calendar: Carefully (and humorously) placed garments enabled Esquire to claim to conservative critics that the Varga Girls, even at their most risque, were still only partially nude.
Copyright 1941 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:34
\BAugust 1941 Gatefold: This amazing gown both conceals and reveals, the essence of Vargas' art; though she's bare-backed, she's not bare-armed in this distinctive fashion unique to the Vargas canon.
Copyright 1941 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:35
\BNovember 1942 Gatefold: Unlike most other Varga Girls, this one has several props to play with, including the riding crop in her right hand, as she emulates a jaunty horse-back rider.
Copyright 1942 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:36
\BNovember 1946 Calendar: Several paintings use musical instruments as props; few show a girl doing anything but smiling or gazing provocatively. This Varga Girl, poised on her toes to show off her strong lines, plays a ukelele as she sings heartily.
Copyright 1946 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:37
\BFebruary 1945 Military Edition: This happy Varga Girl looks like she's just received some good news and is about to make some beautiful music with her harmonica - or with someone. Note the decorative V (for Vargas?) on the return address.
Copyright 1945 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:38
\BDecember 1944 Gatefold: Mistletoe hangs above the head of this Christmas doll dressed for a party and waiting to be kissed.
Copyright 1944 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:39
\BOctober 1945 Gatefold: Whatever she's just learned from her letter, this blue-clad Varga Girl has a look of serious intent about keeping it a secret. At the time, of course, there was a public campaign about not accidentally disclosing military secrets to the enemy, so Vargas may have been playing with that theme. Note that her clothes incorporate birds, a recurring icon of his, into their pattern.
Copyright 1945 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:40
\BFebruary 1946 Gatefold: Perfect for Valentine's Day, this February '46 Varga Girl is outfitted with pink from her nail polish to the ribbon woven into her hair; with the war over, his paintings lost their military accoutrements in favor of old-fashioned romance.
Copyright 1946 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:41
\BMarch 1947 Calendar: By painting this dazzling redhead stretched forward, Vargas could show the strength of her firm legs with subtle shading of the musculature from her ankle to her upper thigh; smiling at herself, even she can admire the aesthetics.
Copyright 1947 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:42
\BSeptember 1944 Gatefold: One of the trademarks of the Varga Girls is their all-American appeal - Varga often put them in classically American outfits, such as cowboy apparel, U.S. military suits, and even a modified baseball uniform, as shown here complete with metal spikes and color-coordinated baseball jersey.
Copyright 1944 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:43
\BApril 1944 Gatefold: Varga Girls were usually shown in some carefully arranged pose with ready smiles, as if they knew they were being watched. Here the artist catches his subject in an unguarded moment, perched on the edge of an unseen bed and yawning as she awakens or gets ready to sleep.
Copyright 1944 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:44
\BDecember 1942 Calendar: Born in Peru and raised in Europe, Vargas went to America in 1915 at the age of 19. When his ship landed in New York, he immediately fell in love with the city - its overwhelming cultural life possibly inspired him to create this seductive ballerina.
Copyright 1942 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:45
\BApril 1942 Calendar: With her birds, daisies, and shorts, this Varga Girl exemplifies the spirit of spring; the red-white-and-blue color scheme adds the usual dash of patriotism favored by his war-time audience.
Copyright 1942 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:46
\BOctober 1941 Gatefold: Since men in the military were among Vargas' main audience, the artist often clothed his girls in modified military uniforms; here he covers his military bases with three different military references.
Copyright 1941 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:47
\BNovember 1941 Gatefold: So idealized were the Varga Girls, they weren't always anatomically correct, as with this coy beauty's impossibly long legs.
Copyright 1941 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:48
\BJanuary 1941 Calendar: Art critics usually aren't sure what to make of this painting, one of the most bizarre Vargas creations; the depiction of a well-developed ôbabyö in a crib is a total departure from Vargas' typical renderings of statuesque women.
Copyright 1941 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:49
\BDecember 1941 Calendar: This sultry Varga Girl is unique in that Vargas hasn't drawn her full body. He's drawn only her upper torso, leaving her legs to the viewer's imagination.
Copyright 1941 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:50
\BMarch 1944 Gatefold: Varga Girls were universally associated with America and all things American, which explains his use of a rootin'-tootin' cowboy suit, complete with metal spurs and star-spangled belt for this Western heroine.
Copyright 1944 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:51
\BFebruary 1942 Calendar: Vargas undoubtedly drew on his New York experiences as he created this lute-playing actress straight from an Elizabethan play.
Copyright 1942 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:52
\BMarch 1944 Military Edition: Deep into the war, American bomber crews would have gotten a laugh out of the written invitation being offered by this coy Varga Girl with an Air Force insignia pinned to her hair.
Copyright 1944 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
\b
No:53
\BNovember 1940 Gatefold: Among the most revealing of the Varga Girls, this beauty from November 1940 has the short perm popular at the time; her thin blue silk is decorated with patriotic stars.
Copyright 1940 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
