Alberto Vargas (Peruvian/American, 1896-1982) Leisure Time, 1920 Watercolor on paper 25-1/2 x 21 inches (64.8 x 53.3 cm) (sheet) Signed and dated lower right: Vargas / 1920 Leisure Time is a rare example of a painting with a fully rendered background by Alberto Vargas. More often than not, the artist focused his artwork on the female figure, with slight attention to her outfit and makeup, along with perhaps one or two props for character and interest. In this piece, however, we see a rich and lush composition that includes embroidered pillows, a zebra-skin rug, top-of-the-line early Art Deco furniture, and antique Asian smoking accoutrements. Many of these stylized pieces were present in the artist's studio and can be seen repeated throughout his career. Here, they are all on display – more is more. The viewer can begin to understand how Vargas would later move to Hollywood to work on set designs. It is almost like a storyboard or viewed through a cinematographer's lens – a director's shot. The artist at leisure created a vision of leisure and luxury. The present work appears on page 443 in The Art of Pin-Up by Dian Hanson with Louis K. Meisel and Sarahjane Blum (Taschen, 2014). HID12401132022 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved