Peter Driben
Encyclopedia
Peter Driben, an American pin-up artist, was perhaps one of the most productive pin-up artists of the 1940s and 1950s. Although both Alberto Vargas
and Gil Elvgren
have extensive catalogues of work, neither came close to the output of Driben. Driben's pinups delighted the American public from the beginning of World War II until the great baby boom of the 1950s.
Born in Boston, Driben studied at Vesper George Art School
before moving to Paris (circa 1925). While taking classes at the Sorbonne
in 1925, he began a series of highly popular pen-and-ink drawings of the city's showgirls. His first known pin-up was the cover to Tattle Tales in October 1934, and by 1935 he was producing covers for Snappy, Pep, New York Nights, French Night Life and Caprice. Driben's popularity continued to rise in the late thirties with covers for Silk Stocking Stories, Gay Book, Movie Merry-Go-Round and Real Screen Fun.
Driben's career expanded into advertising with his move to New York in late 1936. He created original three-dimensional die-cut window displays for Philco Radios, Cannon Bath Towels, and the Weber Baking Company. Perhaps his most famous work being the original posters and publicity artwork for The Maltese Falcon
. Peter Driben was also a close friend of publisher Robert Harrison
, and in 1941 was contracted to produce covers for Harrison's new magazine Beauty Parade. Driben went on to paint hundreds of covers for that publication and for the other seven titles Harrison was to launch - Flirt, Whisper, Titter, Wink, Eyeful, Giggles, and Joker . Driben would often have as many as six or seven of his covers being published every month. Driben's work for Harrison established him as one of America's most recognized and successful pin-up and glamour artists. Just before he began to work for Harrison, Driben married the artist, actress and poet, Louise Kirby.
In 1944 he was offered the unusual opportunity, for a pin-up artist, of becoming the art director of the New York Sun
, a post he retained until 1946. During the war, his popular painting of American soldiers raising the flag at Iwo Jima sparked a considerable amount of media attention.
In 1956, Driben and Louise moved to Miami Beach, where he spent his retirement years painting portraits (including one of Dwight D. Eisenhower
) and other fine-art works, which were organized into successful exhibitions by his wife. Driben died in 1975, Louise in 1984.
Alberto Vargas
Alberto Vargas was a noted Peruvian painter of pin-up girls. He is often considered one of the most famous of the pin-up artists...
and Gil Elvgren
Gil Elvgren
Gil Elvgren , born Gillette Elvgren, was an American painter of pin-up girls, advertising and illustration. Elvgren was one of the more important pin-up and glamour artists of the twentieth century. Today he is best known for his pin-up paintings for Brown & Bigelow...
have extensive catalogues of work, neither came close to the output of Driben. Driben's pinups delighted the American public from the beginning of World War II until the great baby boom of the 1950s.
Born in Boston, Driben studied at Vesper George Art School
Vesper George Art School
The Vesper George School of Art in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, closed in 1983.For many years the school contributed to the Boston art community, training many talented artists, many of whom are still active in both commercial art and fine arts...
before moving to Paris (circa 1925). While taking classes at the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
in 1925, he began a series of highly popular pen-and-ink drawings of the city's showgirls. His first known pin-up was the cover to Tattle Tales in October 1934, and by 1935 he was producing covers for Snappy, Pep, New York Nights, French Night Life and Caprice. Driben's popularity continued to rise in the late thirties with covers for Silk Stocking Stories, Gay Book, Movie Merry-Go-Round and Real Screen Fun.
Driben's career expanded into advertising with his move to New York in late 1936. He created original three-dimensional die-cut window displays for Philco Radios, Cannon Bath Towels, and the Weber Baking Company. Perhaps his most famous work being the original posters and publicity artwork for The Maltese Falcon
The Maltese Falcon (1941 film)
The Maltese Falcon is a 1941 Warner Bros. film based on the novel of the same name by Dashiell Hammett and a remake of the 1931 film of the same name...
. Peter Driben was also a close friend of publisher Robert Harrison
Robert Harrison (publisher)
Robert Harrison was an American publisher who created the bi-monthly magazine Confidential in 1952. Confidential is seen as the progenitor of today’s gossip magazines and modern celebrity journalism. Humphrey Bogart nicknamed Harrison "The King of Leer".- Early life and career :Robert Harrison was...
, and in 1941 was contracted to produce covers for Harrison's new magazine Beauty Parade. Driben went on to paint hundreds of covers for that publication and for the other seven titles Harrison was to launch - Flirt, Whisper, Titter, Wink, Eyeful, Giggles, and Joker . Driben would often have as many as six or seven of his covers being published every month. Driben's work for Harrison established him as one of America's most recognized and successful pin-up and glamour artists. Just before he began to work for Harrison, Driben married the artist, actress and poet, Louise Kirby.
In 1944 he was offered the unusual opportunity, for a pin-up artist, of becoming the art director of the New York Sun
New York Sun
The New York Sun was a weekday daily newspaper published in New York City from 2002 to 2008. When it debuted on April 16, 2002, adopting the name, motto, and masthead of an otherwise unrelated earlier New York paper, The Sun , it became the first general-interest broadsheet newspaper to be started...
, a post he retained until 1946. During the war, his popular painting of American soldiers raising the flag at Iwo Jima sparked a considerable amount of media attention.
In 1956, Driben and Louise moved to Miami Beach, where he spent his retirement years painting portraits (including one of Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
) and other fine-art works, which were organized into successful exhibitions by his wife. Driben died in 1975, Louise in 1984.
See also
- The Great American Pin-Up, Martignette/Meisel (c)2002 Taschen GmbH (ISBN 3-8228-1701-5)
- Peter Driben Bio, The Pin-up Files http://www.thepinupfiles.com/driben.html
- American Art Archives http://www.americanartarchives.com/driben.htm
- Peter Driben Pinup Art Sample http://www.flickr.com/photos/78469770@N00/sets/72157594422569822/