Artwork
'Pin-up' girl wearing a slip, stockings and suspenders

'Pin-up' girl wearing a slip, stockings and suspenders is a watercolor work on paper by the Naïve art artist Wilfrid R. Addey. It dates from 1944 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This watercolour depicts a kneeling 'pin-up' girl, turned slightly towards the viewer, dressed in a slip, stockings, and suspenders.
About this work
Overview
This watercolour depicts a kneeling 'pin-up' girl, turned slightly towards the viewer, dressed in a slip, stockings, and suspenders. Created by Wilfrid R. Addey, a commercial artist, the work reflects the aesthetic and style of post-WWII advertising.
Subject & Meaning
The subject is a quintessential 1940s pin-up girl, characterized by thin eyebrows, defined lips, and a willowy figure. The pose and partial undressing (revealing a blue brassiere and corset with black lace under a lifted blue negligee) are suggestive, aligning with the pin-up genre's playful, flirtatious intent.
Technique & Style
Executed in watercolour, the piece showcases Addey's commercial art skills, blending precision with the soft, suggestive qualities of the medium. The style is reminiscent of 1940s illustrations, with clean lines, attention to detail, and a focus on capturing a specific, attractive female archetype.
History & Provenance
Created during the late 1940s or early 1950s, this work is part of Wilfrid R. Addey's extensive output for London advertising firms like Dorland Advertising and Mitchells. The exact provenance is not detailed here, but it represents Addey's contribution to the booming post-war advertising scene.
Context
This piece is set against the backdrop of post-WWII's economic boom and the rise of consumer culture in the late 1940s and 1950s. It reflects the era's advertising aesthetics and the popular female beauty standards of the time.
Legacy
As part of Addey's corpus, the work contributes to the historical record of mid-20th-century commercial art. For deeper insight into Addey's oeuvre, the Victoria and Albert Museum is a recommended resource.
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.…











