This is an original pencil & colored pencil drawing on tracing paper which served as the basis for the final design that appeared in the July, 1973 issue of Playboy Magazine. This drawing of a playfully posed young nude woman captures her wielding a belt, and Vargas has written, among other things, in the top left "Don't come any nearer!".
This is a pose that has been reworked by Vargas over the years, first appearing in the 1940s, though not published at that time. The final appearance for Playboy featured a tennis racquet instead of a belt.
For all of the Vargas Girls that appeared in Playboy Magazine, there was a clever quip usually written by a copy writer at the magazine. Occasionally, Vargas would write some playful language in an effort perhaps to convey further meaning and context for the drawing.
This artwork features hand-written notes by Alberto Vargas in the top left corner.
Collector's Notes:
This is a preliminary drawing used to propose a new Vargas Girl for an upcoming edition of Playboy Magazine.
For each published piece, Vargas would first sketch a preliminary design such as this one for approval. He would ship several to Playboy's main offices where Hugh Hefner and the Art Directors would review each one. Once approved, they would be returned to Vargas and he would then use them to create an entirely new finished artwork for use in the magazine.
Although these drawings are not typically signed - as they are working designs rather than finished pieces - they do often feature handwriting from Alberto Vargas and/or notes from Playboy's Art Directors (Art Paul or Reid Austin) regarding colors, accessories, positioning etc. Occasionally Hugh Hefner has personally initialed and dated the piece, giving his final approval for the magazine.
These drawings are magnificent artifacts from the process of publishing the legendary Vargas Girl.
22" x 30" Artwork Size
Pencil & colored pencil drawing
Original artwork - SOLD