Meet Hilda, the voluptuous vixen of America’s pin-up era. A creation illustrator Duane Bryers, Hilda has not been widely received in the canon of Americana pin-up, but she should be. One of the only (if not the only) full figured pin-ups, Hilda is been featured in calendars from the ‘50s to the early ‘80s, and she experienced a mild bout of fame in the ‘60s.
Hilda is a fantasy character out of Bryers’ head. According to him, the best Hilda illustrations were done from his head, not from models.
Hilda enthusiasts believe that she may not have been largely celebrated because of her full figure vixen status. Another reason for her wavering notoriety could be because she tended to have a slightly different look in each rendering because Bryers (admittedly) had a difficult time with continuity.
If you ask me, Hilda seems to have an extremely fulfilling life—trekking down to the beach with her animal friends, soaking her feet, crushing grapes to make wine, reading (there is almost always a book in her hands or next to her), and feasting in bed! Seriously, I wish I could be Hilda! It’s refreshing to see a pin-up that is active and intellectually engaged while celebrating her voluptuous frame.
Take a look at the collection of Hilda photos below. If you want more Hilda, be sure to check out Les Toil’s Hilda Gallery!
Source via Messy Nessy Chic
Photographs via Messy Nessy Chic, Les Toil, the Huffington Post and Daley Illustration Gallery
