The Art of Fritz Willis

Fritz Willis (December 30, 1907 – January 13, 1979) was an American artist best known for his erotic pin-up illustrations. In his pencil and oil sketches, attention is placed on the languidly reclined model more so than the background, which renders his work both casual and intimate. Born in Oklahoma City, OK, Willis studied at the Vesper George Art School in Boston before moving to Hollywood to work on production design for Warner Brothers. By 1947, Willis had obtained a position as pin-up artist for Esquire magazine, marking the beginning of his work as a pin-up artist for which he is known, producing iconic images of women known as the Willis Girls. Touted as the standard bearer for the classic American mid-century pin-up, Willis also handled ad work for Pepsi, Sunkist, and Ice Follies.