Artwork
'Pin-up' girl as Eve with the serpent

'Pin-up' girl as Eve with the serpent is a watercolor work on paper by the Art Brut artist Wilfrid R. Addey. It dates from 1944 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This watercolour, created by Wilfrid R.
About this work
Overview
This watercolour, created by Wilfrid R. Addey in the late 1940s, depicts a pin-up girl reimagined as Eve from the biblical story of temptation. The artwork combines the sensuality of a calendar girl with the narrative of the Fall of Man.
Subject & Meaning
The subject, a nude pin-up girl styled as Eve, kneels in a suggestive pose, reaching for an apple while entwined by a serpent. This blend of religious allegory and eroticism reflects the dual appeal of innocence and seduction prevalent in post-war popular culture.
Technique & Style
Executed in watercolour, the piece showcases Addey's skill in capturing detailed, voluptuous figures characteristic of 1940s pin-up art. The model's features, thin eyebrows, long eyelashes, and a willowy physique, are quintessentially of its time.
History & Provenance
Wilfrid R. Addey, a prolific commercial artist, created this work amidst his long career with prominent London advertising firms. It exemplifies the flourishing advertising industry of the late 1940s and 1950s, catering to the post-war consumer boom.
Context
Emerging in the post-war era, this artwork taps into the period's consumerist and sensual awakening. It reflects the intersection of religious themes with the burgeoning sexuality in advertising and popular media of the time.
Legacy
While not widely recognized outside the context of vintage advertising art, this piece contributes to the historical record of post-war commercial illustration, highlighting the evolution of feminine ideals and the use of mythological themes in popular culture.
Artist & collection
Artist
Wilfrid R. Addey made spare, ink-and-watercolor snapshots of mid-century America. His sheet shows a late-1940s pin-up in a purple bikini with a lit cigarette, quick lines catching the pose and the glow of a club lamp.…










