enoch bolles by john raglin

7/22/2019 Enoch Bolles by John Raglin

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4 ustraton

C er a pretty gr , a pn-up, or a gamour queen

urng t e o en Age o ustrat on s e regne supreme. or an

ustrator to reac t e p nnac e o ame mastery o t e ema e ormwas compusory, an ser ous e ate was g ven to t e rva c arms o

the girls of Gibson, Christy, Fisher, Flagg, Philips, and others. These

rtists earned huge salaries depicting their girls and became the

first media stars. They were photographed at work in their studios

s well as socializing with high society. Their opinions of subjectsanging from beauty to polit ics were widely published. Even their

models were newsworthy. Magazine publishers clamored to sign

rtists to long-term contracts to draw pretty girls, and overcrowded

newsstands grew as monotonous as a ballroom of debutants in thesame dress. To stand out from the pack an artists girl needed some-

thing special, and the enchanting creations of Enoch Bolles had it.

For nearly 30 years the Bolles girl graced the covers of magazines

such asJudgeand Film Fun negotiating shifts in hemlines and bus-

tlines from the Edwardian, to the flapper, to the Hollywood vamp.Bolles was also a prolific advertising artist of products from bread

to Zippo lighters, and produced hundreds of stunning color ads.

Yet, all of Bolles advertising art has either gone unrecognized o r

redited to others, as have many of his pin-ups. Virtually nothingwas wrtten a out o es urng s e , an t e tt e t a t as seenp rnt s nc e s r e w t s ensa tona z e a cc ou nts o e tat ng men-

ta an p ysca ness. e most w ey reporte story a eges e

went nsane an e n an asyum e acng s pantngs o eaut-

u g r s w t grotesque our s es an ur sexua magery. Anot er

cc ou nt m a nt a ns o e s su e re a s tr o e t a t r o e m o sty to pa nt at t e very pea o s career.

y own nterest n o es was spar e y a s ng e ssuun. At a tme w e n t e c e mar e tng p oy o p u p m

was t e scream ng g r n morta per , t e care ree spr

o es gr was a ray o suns ne. Not ony was s e apps one y an art st w o o v ousy e womens e w

n g y m o e rn . n a g en re t at wo u e co me c c -r

irls losing their footing or suffering worse fates, Bolles

emarkably competent. They skied, surfed, fly fished, sca

ains, sailed, motorcycled, and even wing-walked their whe covers of Film Funand other magazines. As put by R

Brown, No other nations cover girls looked as at home

ourt or playing fields as did Enoch Bolles creations. B

n fashion illustration early in his career and his girls ra

he most stylishly dressed of any pin-up artist.Today, the look of the Bolles girl would b e comfortab

etro. Despite their historical context, Bolles instilled his

ualities that keep them fresh. With gravity-defying brea

straight as a picket fence, and beautifully elongated han

arefully posed and often holding a cigarette, Bolles girlthletic and shapely than those painted by his peers. Usu

ng an incandescent smile framed by heart- shaped lips, ccasions she could be pouty or just plain bored. In esse

was a mannerist. His girls were the deliberate creation o

w t a u nq ue vs on o e au ty

s mp e , y et sop s tc ato sse ss e t e s s t o a c e ve t .

e e n gm a o n oc o e s s a u r ng g r s a n t

erso

na tu rmo comp e e me to r ng to g t t s e

w o e t a staggerng egacy o over 500 magazne cover

BEAUTY BY DESIGT H E A R T O F

ENOCH BOLLEB Y J A C K R A G L I N

riginal artwork for ilm Fun, March, 1937. Oil, 24 x 30 inches.


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ustraton

rowng am y ve n New or ty e ore movng to appan,New or , an t en severa years ater sette nto t e r eong

home in Harrington Park, New Jersey.

In his early years Bolles was employed as a shoemaker and car-

penter, the latter a skill he return ed to throughout his life, building

furniture and even a boat in his spare time. Bolles art career begansoon after he was married, and his first professional assignment

may have been for the Philadelphia Shipyard making illustrations

f watercraft. The earliest existing examples of his professional art

were for the Hammerschlag Printing Company of New York. He

reated whatever the assignment called for including pen and inkrawings, hand lettered signs and packaging, and color illustrations

for fashion cards.

During this period Bolles took a crucial step in furthering his

rtistic growth by attending the premier institutions of art andllustration. In the fall of 1907 he enrolled in classes at the National

Academy of Design. His t alent was acknowledged by the Academy,

nd in both 1907 and 1908 he was awarded the Elliot Bronze medal

s well as being granted a special prize in 1908. In 1912, he took

n g t courses at t e Art tu ents eague n ustrat on an compo-s t on rom war u ner. Ng t courses were genera y a tten e

y stu ents w o were a rea y wor ng as pro ess ona ustrators.

A t oug not note n t e r ec or s o t e A rt tu e nts

eague, ot er

sources n cate t a t o es stu e un er t e master nstructor,

o ert enr . ese exper ences e t an n e e mpresson ono es, w o over a a century a ter recounte t em n remar -

ble detail to his daughter, Elizabeth. In his letters to her, Bolles

cknowledged the value of his education, but like other illustrators

who had worked under Henri, Bolles frowned on his tendency to

develop a young painter in his chosen style.A turning point in Bolles career took place in 1914 when he sold

his first cover to Judgemagazine. Not surprisingly, the subject was

pretty girl. In the 1910s,Judge evolved from a forum for conser-

less advertising illustrations without seeming to leave a single trace

f his personal life. My initial efforts to learn about Bolles producednothing but frustration. Months of sifting through genealogies, gov-

rnmental documents, and other sources yielded the barest crumbs

f information. Then finally a real lead: a faded newspaper clipping

f his obituary. I learned that Bolles had died in 1976 at the age of

3 at his home in New Jersey not in an insane asylum as alleged.The notice also included the names of his surviving family. Sadly,

further checks indicated that seven of his eight children had since

passed away. On the remote chance that his youngest daughter was

still living, I began searching for her name in telephone directories.

ut of countless entries there was only a single match. After somehesitation I nervously dialed the number and was answered by

Enochs 86-year old daughter, Theresa.

And so began the next chapter of my journey to bring Bolles out

f the shadows. Time has taken its inevitable toll. Memories havea e . r e n s an am y ave p as se . u t t e a u r ng ar t o n oco es ves on an te s s story n a way t at wor s cannot.

THE EARLY YEARSEnoch Bolles was born in Boardman,

Florida on March 3, 1883 to Eno ch Jr. and

the former Catherine Keep. Enochs father

nd brothers were chemists who owned

rchards used for making perfume. His

wife s family also owned orchards in therea. Two years later, Enochs beloved

sister Mary was born. When work let up

the family traveled to Louisiana to spend

time with Claras family or Newark where

Enochs grandfather and other relativeslived.

From an early age the young Enoch

showed an aptitude for art which his par-

n ts e nco ur ag e . e u n g p re tt y g r

rt st was aso ortunate to grow up ur-ng t e ascenson o ares

ana son.

e w y popuar son g r as een

a e t e r st nat ona me a con; a

type t a t man ate ow a generat on owomen s ou oo an act. er popuar-

ty roug t son extraor nary nan-

ial rewards. Already earning handsomely,

n 1904 Gibson signed a contract withColliersfor the unprecedent-

d sum of $100,000; an amount that today would be approximatelywo million dollars. The original arrangement called for somewhat

ower compensation, but the clamor raised by competing publishers

ver such an excessive sum prompted Bob Collier and his business

anager, Conde Nast, to raise the ante even higher and offer an

ven $1,000 per drawing. To further roil the waters, they publishedis acceptance letter in newspapers across the country.

Gibson wasnt the only illustrator getting rich from drawing

retty girls. By 1910, Howard Chandler Christy and Harrison

Fisher were each earning over $50,000 yearly. These artists quickly

became shrewd marketers of their wares. Years before George Pettyetained reproduction rights on his famous girls for reuse in vari-

us advertisements, Fisher described his methods for remarketing

is magazine covers: I do not sell t hem outright, and thus they

re returned to me. Since their first use they have already appearedn a g t oo a n my c a e n a r. e y t e n a pp ea re on p a y ngar s , a re-e t on o a g t oo , posters , an ecorat ve esgns.

A te r a p os s e c omme rc a optons

we re e x a us te , s e r wo u s e t e

org nas. t er ustrators o owe sut,

an mages o men ecame so rare on t enewsstan s t a t none ot er t an A erto

Vargas remarked, Every magazine cover

butNational Geographichad a painting of

a pretty girl. None of this was lost on the

young Bolles, and several of his earliestsurviving illustrations were of girls done

in the Gibson mode.

In 1893, during one of the family visits

to Newark, Enochs father died unex-pectedly. Barely one year later there was

another shock when grandfather Enoch

passed away. The family then moved in

with other relatives in Newark but Eno ch

continued to work the family groves inFlorida, once returning so tanned that his

fianc, Clara Kaufman, didn t recognize

him. Bolles had met Clara in New York

and both shared an interest in art. In April

o 1903 t ey we , an t ree years a tert ey a a aug ter, ara , t e rst o

t e r e g t c ren. ur ng t s t me t e

Bolles at the National Academy of Design, c. 1908. Artist unknown.Judge October 31, 1914

Two early examples of advertising artwork, c. 19001907

Original art for fashion card, c. 19001907

Advertising artwork for Ham merschlag Printing Company, c. 190019


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ustraton

vatve po t cs nto a umor magazne secon n popu ao e ts covers were pante y many o t e regn ng

llustration and often featured pretty girls drafted by the

Flagg, Armstrong, and even Rockwell before he was told

ousy Gibson and advised to focus on children. Childre

n occasional subject for Bolles, and one of his most poovers was Bad Manners, but Good Taste. His younges

heresa, was enlisted as a model until Clara walked in o

sion and summarily ended the sitting by wiping up the

ess.

The timing of Bolles entr y into the pretty girl genre wtous. Gibsons work, if not his reputation, was becomin

ngly irrelevant as the fashions of the time passed him b

biographer later said that of all his drawings, Gibson ma

ne good flapper. In his typically brash manner, Flagg dodern girl and her strapped bosom, yearning for a re

arlier era. Christy would soon leave the field of comme

ration to specialize in society portraits. This generation

ors was growing uncomfortable with the look of the ne

woman. o es, on t e ot er an , a no suc compune eager y too up t e apper n a er ras exu eran

eJu ge cove rs p rov e o e s muc nee e e xp os

s ort o supportng a arge am y. e magazne was ne

a y sovent, pay ng ony ater pu cat on an even t

ngy. ts e tor, oug as oo e, was a notor ous s n nor repeate y puttng o artsts w o came to co ect, go

s to claim that the check was lost in the mail. Even the

was not exempt from such treatment; once after being r

e threw a fit and refused to leave Cookes office until a

ut. During this period Bolles supported his family largdvertising illustration, specializing in trolley cards doneu e

e ruary 24, 1917Judge March 20, 1915 Judge, April 21 1923

Judge August 13, 1927 Judge, September 3, 1927 Enoch Bolles is seen creating trolley card advertisements in this page from an unknown trade publication.


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4 ustraton u

ost o t s w or w as or a r ron o e r a n t e N ew or gn

ompany, each among the nations largest advertising sign com-

panies. Edward Hopper, who may have been a classmate of Bolles

t the Art Students League, also worked for the New York Sign

ompany. Bolles primary client was Best Foods, and he producedtrolley signs and store displays for all of their major products. Food

llustration is a notoriously difficult subject, but Bolles succeeded in

balancing the fine line bet ween oversimplifying and overrendering,

ither of which would dull the consumers appetite for the product.

ther major clients included Sun Maid, Vick s, and Palm Beachuits.

Moving easily from realistically finished portraits to quick sketch-

smost impressively his exuberantly smoking Santa in the ad for

Peter Schuyler cigarsBolles advertising work reveals an impres-sive command of composition and style that he tailored to thenstructions of the client or dictates of the product. Still, personal

touches could be found. Bolles enjoyed painting landscapes for lei-

sure and was able to work t hem into ads for various products. His

mastery o an etter ng aso s nes n t ese a s . e ony nownp o to gr ap o o es at wor comes rom

t s pero , appearng n an art ce rom an

n ent e t ra e pu cat on t at e scr e

m as one o Amerca s nest ustrators.

o es career- e n ng opportun ty camen ate 1923 w en e was c osen as t e excu-

sive cover artist for Film Funmagazne. s

ontribution helped create what historian

David Sloane called the oldest, longest lived,

nd the best of all film-oriented humor mag-zines. Retitled from theMagazine of Funn 1915, Film Funbegan as a typical cinema

magazine filled with stills from movies, short

features, and photos of screen stars. It contin-

ed this staid course until 1923, when Judgeditor and cartoonist Norman Anthony was

brought onto the editorial board to enliven

the magazines image. Circulation improved

nd Anthony later credited himself, claiming

the magazine had profited from his changesto its editorial content, particularly the hilar-

ously funny captions he added to the movie

otos p rov e ree y t e s tu os or t e r p u c ty . e never

cknowledged that at the very time he was changing the interior of

Film Fun Bolles was making a far more visible impact, and it was

is covers that enticed new readers to explore the new develop-

ents within its pages. As one reader put it, The person who saide bought the magazine for the jokes alone ought to take a course

n art. Film Funwas the only profitable title out of the Leslie-Judge

ineup, but in 1927 a new owner sold it off to Dell Publishing for

$17,500 to pay off long-standing debts. The strategy proved mis-

uided as Leslie-Judge later filed for bankruptcy while Dell took in$100,000 in annual profit from Film Funfor the following decade.

The signature Bolles style emerged with Film Fun. The earli-

st covers had his girls posed against full y rendered backgrounds,

but Bolles soon shifted to more poster-like compositions, his girlssurrounded by a stark white field with only an amorphic shadown blue to ground them to the background. Compared with other

llustrators, the Bolles girl was hotter, exhibiting a quality of the

imes described by historian Elizabeth Stevenson as a new arr ange-

e nt o t e e e ments o s ex a n a s on.n t e 1920s, many o s m ung r s

were c assc appers w t aarm ngy nar-

row gures t at wou now e agnose as

a no re x c. t e r t a n t e o po p o e s o

o n e , o es may ave een aone nc e e r at n g t e s ap n g- e p y s qu es t at

dismayed so many other illustrators of the

era. But Bolles flappers were no cartoon par-

ody; in their own way they were as attractive

and womanly as any of the fulsome vampshe specialized in a decade later for the p cypulps.

Soon after signing on with Film Funhe

began working for the pulps. In 1924, he pro-

duced covers for Snappy Storiesat the rate oftwo a month for t he next three years, as well

as an occasional cover for the humor maga-

zine LaughterThese assignments provided

Bolles more freedom to experiment with

variations in style than with Film Fun, fromquick impressionistic sketches to more elabo-

rate compositions.

riginal artwork for trolley card advertisement, c. 1920s Film Fun, ecember 1922 Film Fun, July, 1923 ilm Fun, July, 1924

Film Fun, April, 1925 Film Fun, May, 1927 ilm Fun, ovember, 19 0

Film Fun, ovember, 1936 Film Fun, March, 19 8 ilm Fun, June, 1942reliminay sketch forFilm Fun c. 1924


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ustraton u

r e m n a ry s e c or m un . , x nc es. m un, c o e r, .

Film Fun, January 1941

Film Fun February 946reliminary s etch forFilm Fun c. 946

re mnary s e ch for m un, .

riginal artwork for ilm Fun, February, 1946 (reworked.) Oil, 24 x 30 inches.


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o e s n u ence or ns p re o t e r w e now n p u p u st ra -t or s w o spe c a ze n pr et ty g r s , w c re su t e n muc

o s cover art gong uncre te or m sattr ute to ot er

ustrators. oremost among t em was eorge u ntana, w oustrate ove umoran s m ar t t es. untana as o ten een

e sc r e a s a n a rt s t c pe er o o e s, u t a n e xa mnaton o t swor reveas t at e was anyt ng ut an equa . rtua y every one

f his cover paintings was either directly copied from a Bolles or

was a pastiche of several covers. Quintanas mimickry was only par-

tially successful as he lacked Bolles mastery of color and anatomy.

His attempts to duplicate Bolles subtle figural styl izations come off

s cra e , partcu ary s treatment o an s u ntana owe sareer to o es, ut e wasnt t e ony artst w o was n uence

y m. Among ot ers, eter r en a so wou occas ona y or-

ow a o es compost on, an or a t me are ergey e un ers s a ow, to t e extent t at two o s pa ntngs (mages 79, 82)

re m s cr e te t o o e s n e reat mer can n-up. ore t anew rea ers o m unnoticed and as one aptly wrote, many

ther magazines on the newsstands try to imitate the style used by

your cover artist, Enoch Bolles, but fail in the attempt.

Even the great Alberto Vargas was inspired by Bolles. His gate-

old in the August 1964 issue of Playboywas taken from the classic

o e s vara t on o t e so-c a e c yc e p os e t a t a pp ea re on aover o u p s a pe rs. s mage as een escr e y ranc s

m t as one o t e very nest o Amercan covers, a super

ompos t on. o ert rown as reerre to t s cover as a cas-s c erot c uson. ts org na ncarnat on was more se ate an a

penc concept s etc n cates t was or g na y propose as a m

un cove r. n t e a c s e o e s p enc e a note to t e e tor

ndicating that, with enough pants, as indicated, this wouldnt be

ffensive. Clearly, however, even with the extra covering, the pose

was beyond the pale of Film Fun.

Bolles drew on many sources for his own artistic inspiration

n onc e e s cr e t , as w e a s a s a r ge a rc tec t ts own persona co e o mat emat cs as to expect an a

wor w t out prece ent. t s w atyou o more t an o

t en wo r e w t m o e s , m any w o we re s ow g r s wn n g t cu acts suc as ar arro s ant es. e m

rators o es o ten wor e rom p otograp s, somet mrom an ear er ssue o m un, ut e was never t e

nterpretations of them. As stated by Francis Smith in S

history of glamour illustration: If a model had a twis

oran or Elvgren would paint it that way. But Bolles wa

nd interpreter.

Imitation and Inspiration

Illustration llu

Original artwork for Film Fun, February, 1946 (reworked.) Oil, 24 x 30 inches.

ovie Humorcover by George Quintana

ImagecourtesyoL

ouis

.

eisel

allery,Inc.

riginal artwork for ilm Fun, ???. Oil, 24 x 30 inches. Al ert Vargas is inspired by Bolles bicycle pose in the August, 1964 issue of Playboy.

Real Screen Fun cover by Quintana Cupids Capers, ovem ber, 19 33 r eliminar y sketc h, c. 1933


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ustraton u

THE 1930s e turn o t e eca e roug t ot new opportun ty

n c a enges to o es. n eary 1928 e egan to pant covers or

epan t en ater t a t year or p cy tor es ot o t ese pu p

magaz nes were owne y ran Armer ut wou ater e so

to Harry Donenfield. Bolles would have an on and off association

with the publications of these men for the next decade, although it

would be next to anonymous as none of this work was signed.Some of Bolles very best covers, if not his most well known, were

for the Nuregal Press whose scandalous under-the-counter titles

ncluded Tattle Tales, Bedtime Stories, upids apers, and Stolen

weets. Among them none is more remarkable than the Zanzibar

over of an African pin-up for a 1933 issue of Tattle Tales. Given theebasing stereotypes of black women that prevailed, the sensuous

woman depicted on the cover is nothing short of extraordinary.

Nearly 40 years would pass before Vargas painted his first blackpin-up for Playboy. Describing this and other anonymous Bolles

overs in his book Stolen Sweets Francis Smilby Smith states, hisxtremely attractive girls have genuine sex appeal, and at times an

xoticism beyond the reach of most of his confreres. Here, one feels,

may be a talented artist reduced to working in this market because

f the Depression. This perspective was also held by pulp illustra-

tor rnest r a a , w o nt now o es ut e t e wor e ors ot p u c atons o q u es tona e re pu ta ton.

As note y oug s n s story o t e pcy u ps,

ncovere t e pu s ers o t ese magaznes were un er constant

t reat o t e aw an pressure rom pu c ecency groups. o es

nonym ty may we ave een se -protectve as even t e s g testonnec ton w t t e se p u s e rs c ou a ve p ut m n eopa r y.

ontinued on page 24

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photographs

EnochBolles,early1930s

SpicyPulpPin-upCover

RolfArmstrong,1931GreenRiverSodaGirl

HenryClive,1921Intoxication

VictorTchetchet, 1950Pin-upGlamour GirlToasting

EarlMoran,1949arilynMonroeas

panishGirl

RolfArmstrong,1935TheHollywoodVenus

Raphael Kirchner,1900s

OriginalArt NouveauKirchnerGirl

AdelaideHeibel,1932

HiawathasHoneymoon

AlbertBeckWenzell,1897

VictorianBeautiesw Angels

HenryClive,1934

oono My Delight

riginal artwork for Film Fun, January, 1940. Oil, 24 x 30 inches.

Snappy Stories,January 1927 PEP May 1929 Spicy Stories,April, 19 9

attle Tales,July 1933 Stolen Sweets, ? Bedtime Stories, November 1934

Breezy Stories,January, 1936 Gay Parisienne,August, 1937 Gay Broadway ?


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This 1943 Coca-Cola Original Advertising Artwork recently sold for $13,446 in a MastroNet Premier Catalog Auction.

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Illustration

Portrait Work

t oug nown or s gure pantng, o es compete

severa portrats or move magaznes n 1930. wo o t esewe re or t e e p u c at o n a n g c re en( soon re t t e

Modern Screen), under the art direction of Abril Lamarque. They

re notable for being done with very different techniques. The

first cover was a pastel portrait of Norma Shearer modeled in thestyle of Rolf Armstrong. It must not have passed unnoticed, as

Armstrong struck back several months later with his own portrait

f Shearer for The New Movieusing the exact pose. A comparison

f the two is revealing. Bolles fidelity to his subject was true to a

fault: Shearers wandering right eye (which plagued her through-

ut er career) s ev ent. Armstrong wou ave none o t s.

e not ony correcte er v s on, ut enarge earers eyes aner orme ot er cosmetc en ancements. o es secon cover or

Talking Screenwas an oil portrait of Nancy Carroll done in his more

ypical style. He also contributed at least one painting of Greta

arbo for creen omances n 1930. From these examples and hisnpublished work, it is evident that Boll es could have been success-

ul as a portrait il lustrator. Why he did not continue in this vein is

ot known, but the answer may have involved simple economics

s portraits were more time consuming than his Film Funor pulp

overs.

npu s e p or r a o r a m o p n s, c r c an e por r a , c. s

creen e ruarya k n c re en anuary, a k n c re en arc , he ew ove uy,


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4 ustraton u

s nge ssue o reezy tor es n w c a a cs m e o s s g na-ture was a e y t e engraver. s cover was a so unusua or

being the only Bolles painting in the spicy menace style of Hugh

Ward.Bolles often signed his Film Funcovers, but in contrast to

Armstrong or Petty whose signatures were nearly invariant (Pettys

was trademarked), Bolles liked to experiment with his. In someases he tinkered with the lettering or coloring. In other covers he

worked his signature into the composition by printing it in both

negative and positive space in the border of a shadow.

The Bolles style evolved throughout the 1930s. His compositions

became more elaborate and inventive, and he enlarged t he scale ofhis paintings by using seated poses or through foreshortening. His

lready strong palette grew even bolder with primaries but retained

ts pleasing balance. Bolles was well-versed in the technicalities

f printing and his covers for the Spicypulps remained attractive

espite being printed in three or sometimes only two colors. Hispainting style became more refined and the expressive brushwork

from a decade earlier evolved into more subtle gradations. Most of

ll, the Bolles girl got sexier. The girl-next-door had moved out and

t e new tenant was ec e y ess reserve . o es gr s were o tenresse n out an s costumes rang ng rom catsuts to po ce un-

orms, an a surpr s ng num er o covers ncu e ou e enten-

res, some qu te su t e ut ot ers ar ess so. e sexness was o ten

e avene w t u mor, t oug rare y a t t e e xp ense o t e g r . o e s

was certan y aware o a t s , an years a ter expa ne , art aserent meanngs an carres erent messages or everyone. At

the same time Bolles work was g rowing in scope, the editorial eye

f Film Funwas drifting from featuring rising Hollywood starlets

to chlorines, and in its waning days, Hollywood hopefuls. In 1939,

the magazine was reorganized and Charles Saxon, a Dell staffer, wasbrought in to take the helm at the ripe young age of 20.

DARK TIMESIn August 1938, the reign of Bolles Film Funcovers came

to an abrupt end. The next four covers were weak imitations

by Albert Fisher. Three uninspired photo covers followed, andthen seven issues with Bolles covers recycled from earlier issues

f Film Fun some with slight alterations. During this time his

work also disappeared from the covers of picy Storiesand ay

Parisienne, titles he had regularly illustrated for the previous fiveyears. But after an absence of over a year, a new Bolles graced the

over of the December 1939 issue of Film Fun The event was

highlighted by a feature articlenot about Bolles, who (aside

from fan mail) was rarely mentioned within the pages of the

magazinebut on the cover model, Kitty Keane, who like mostf his models bore little resemblance to the girl on the cover.

New works continued until August 1940, interrupted by another

spate of photo covers which only reinforced Bolles absence. But

from June 1941 until September of the following year, new Bolles

rs grace eac cover o m un, ncu ng some o s nestw or . e nex t mont t e magaz ne o e , not t e c as ua ty o

e c nng rea e rs p u t a t t e a n o t e . . o stma ster e ne ra

w o r ev o e t e se co n c a ss m a n g pr v e ge s, e c ar n g t at t e

magazne oes no more t an appea to t e saac ousy spose .

orts y awyers or t e magazne a e to conv nce m ot er-

w se. A ew ot er repr nte covers appeare n oungs agazne,but Bolles completed one new cover in 1943 for the new pin-up

magazne tter. It featured a contemplative showgirl wearing

what may be the most exquisite fishnet stockings ever rendered.

With new pin-up magazines taking the place of Film Funandrowing opportunities in the calendar business and paperbacks,

why didn Bolles simply move onto new markets? The explana-

tion that a paralyzing stroke ended Bolles career was a fabrication

y t e e tor o m unto protect s prvacy. n trutsuccum to a menta sor er. n Apr o 1938 o

relative from his studio and complained about hearin

Bolles was evaluated by a physician who diagnosed his c

s a result of poor nutrition and overwork, and directed

o keep fuel in the tank. Unfortunately, his symptoms mprove and Bolles entered Greystone Hospital, a state-

ental institution located in t he rolling hills of upper N

Greystone was built during the progressive movemen

he Civil War according to the guidelines of Thomas Ki

moral treatment, a system that emphasized caring for n a humane manner in tranquil surroundings. The hos

pened in 1876 and was designed to house about 600 pa

but over the ensuing decades it g rew into a sprawling co

By the time Bolles became a patient, the hospital popula

eaked at nearly 7,500 with a roughly equal number of ng on its grounds. Under Kirkbrides system the main h

was designed to comfortably house patients in well light

ventilated quarters situated in a park-like setting. Men a

atents were segregate n separate w ngs o t e osptng to t e s ever ty o nes s. A t oug t w as a p u c a

ncu e n gent pat ents w t t e most severe orms o

a , t e w e - to- o c ou r ng t e r ow n p ersona s ta a

n su tes or even pr vate cottages. e ma n osp ta un

severa expans ons an may ave een t e argest s ng en Amer ca unt t e constructon o t e entagon. rom

ion, Greystone was intended to be self-sufficient. It had

arms, orchards, bakery, icehouse, police station, sawmil

ecessities of community life. It was so large that electri

were used to transport food and supplies via undergroucontin

But the question remains as to why he put so much thought and

ffort into these canvases. The pay was only marg inal. Hugh Ward,w o covers or t ese t tes a ter o es move on, earne $50 to$ 75 p er c over , a n c omp a ne a out e ng s t e y t e e tor s

more t an once. ese magaznes may s mpy ave prov e o es

orum or expor ng t emes eyon t e pae o m un

e au acty o t ese covers an s wor on ot er spcy t t es

stan s n g arng contrast to o es own mo est persona. A sens-tive man of keen intelligence, he had in his own words, a wide

nd lively interest in everything . Described by family and friends

s unfailingly polite and kind, Bolles was devoted to his family and

had no inclination for the bohemian lifestylepursued by other illustrators. A master fisher-

man, there was nothing he enjoyed more than to

spend time casting at his favorite t rout streams.

He and Clara ran a progressive household in

which his sons and daughters were equallyncouraged to participate in vigorous sports

nd pursue higher education. Two of his chil-

ren became artists and his daughter, Francesca

ollaborated with him on the cover of the

eptember 1928 issue of Film Fun They signedt Fran. Many professional illustrators did not

paint for recreation, but Bolles was compelled

to, favoring landscapes or portraits of family

members. Among the most impressive of these

wor s was o ac mes, r., s son- n-aw w owas an nternatona y renowne compett ve

c yc s t. o e s o ten rew or e o p a ntngs to

est new techniques or ideas, and regretfully painted over many of

is Film Funcovers to reuse the canvases.o es a to wor extremey ar to support a arge am y an

ante t ree or more covers a mont n a t on to m un e

s up p e me nte s ncome w t a ver t s ng w or a n t e occ as ona

omms s on , u t e ve n w t a t s t e re s t w ere a r tme s. n

1931 s w e e serousy , an to pay t e ospta s o es

was orce to wor or pu cat ons e wou ot erw se avegnore , contr utng covers or t e sp cy t tes ctora r en c

Folliesand Hollywood Nights. Much of this work was based on

oncept sketches for Film Funand executed in mixed media. After

long convalescence, Clara fully recovered andBolles dropped these titles, but they endured

periods of financial struggle throughout the

Depression.

Bolles daily routine involved an early morn-

ing commute by train from Harrington Parks tohis one-room studio on 45th Street in New York

ity. He often did not return until after dark,

nd if deadlines loomed he would paint through

the night in his studio, sustained by coffee and

little else. Often he worked during weekends,nd on more than one occasion would paint 24

hours straight to meet a deadline. Working as

his own agent, Bolles picked up the covers to

dditional spicy titles including Breezy Stories,

ay ar s enne, an p cy tor es. A t oug epante more t an 300 covers or t ese an

t er pu ps, v rtua y none were sgne , saveBreezy Stories,April, 1944

Portrait of Jack Simes, Jr., c. 1920s

Titter,Winter, 1943


12/14

f all of Bolles advertising work, his most widely reproduced

illustration is his least known. In 1937, Bolles received acomm sson to comp ete a pa ntng promot ng t e ppo

w n pr oo g t er. n y e u te n t e e cem e r 1 93 7 s su e o

squre as a ac -an -w te a . e ustrat on was unsgne , ut

n egregousy m sspe e tag ne cre te , noc oes . n y was

n mme ate t an er mage was stampe on g ters t a t are

now g y soug t y co ectors. e a was reprnte n squre orsevera more years ut w t one a teraton: t e ac nowe gement

to o es was roppe an e was never cre te agan. t er art-

sts created Windy illustrations for new ads, but none had the sassy

harm of the original.

In 1993, Windy was introduced to a new generation in the themef the Zippo collectible l ighter of the year. The lighter was pack-

ged in a decorative tin illustrated with the original image of Windy

from the Esquire ad. But again Bolles was not credited as Windys

reator, and she was now christened the Varga Windy. Information

ncluded with the lighter described how the founding presidentf Zippo, George Blaisdell, was a fan of Alberto Vargas and com-

missioned him to paint Windy for the ad. The commemorative

lighter has become a huge success and Zippo has produced over

0 variations in different colors and designs as well as other Windyproducts, all stamped as a Varga but based on the Bolles painting.From the perspective of Zippo, the story is true by intent. When

ueried about the discrepancy, a representative from the company

onfirmed that Blaisdell was indeed an admirer of Vargas and had

hosen him to bring Windy to life only to find he could not meet

s as ng prce, so o es was c osen as a more a or a e a terna-

ive. Another source not affiliated with the company stated that the

riginal painting of Windy hung for years in Blasdells office, where

e proudly referred to her as his Varga girl. Sadly, the painting is noonger in the possession of Zippo and its present fate is unknown.

As plausible as the story sounds, it is unlikely. In 1937, Alberto

Vargas was still an unfamiliar name to the public at large. Several

years of lean work in New York compelled him to move California

n 1934 w ere e was empoye n re atve anonym ty as a esgnr t s t or s evera mov e s tu os. t wou not e unt t e e n o

1940 t at s ustratons or squrewou aunc m nto prom-

ence as t e creator o t e arga g r . s ame not reme y

argas nanca stress as s contract st puate a rate o $300 a

ont , w t c a u se s w c s evere y mte s opp or tu nt e s to outs e wor . a s e cou ave eas y a or e m .

The far more likely choice to bring Windy to life was George

Petty, who in 1937 was nearing the pinnacle of his popularity. His

Petty girl had become a national rage, ostentatiously displayed in

roducts ranging from cigarettes to swimwear. But his asking pricef over a $1,000 an ad would have dissuaded the budget-minded

Blaisdell. Another factor working against Petty was his distaste to

see the female sex smoking. Even in his ads for Old Gold the Petty

irl was never caught puffing, and rarely ever held a cigarette. Sucheticence was not shared by the more l iberal minded Bolles, who

nthusiastically employed cigarettes as props. Bolles was so particu-

ar about them that he once had his brother-in-law pose for him

olding a cigarette, as he was unhappy about how the m odel had

brandished it. Bolles own obscurity also doomed his Windy to beecast as a Varga. In fact, Bolles daughter, Theresa, was unaware

hat he had painted the Windy girl for Zippo. But then that isnt

surprising as with her father before her, she doesnt smoke.

Spiderwebart Gallery 5 Waterloo Rd. Hopatcong NJ 07843

973-770-8189 Phone or [email protected] e-mail or visit us at www.spid

The Windy Girl

Illustration


13/14

ustraton u

Visit my website:

www.billvannart.co

314-231-232

www.stl-illustrator.co

Bolles was diagnosed by the physicians at Greystone as suffering

from a paranoid condition. But while the allegation that Bolles had a

mental illness was true, the record of his behavior at Greystone does

not support the claim that he pornographically defaced his Film Funpaintings. On the contrary, evidence indicates that Bolles was actively

painting new Film Funcovers while he was a patient at Greystone.

Hospital policy encouraged well-adjusted patients to engage in pro-

This snowscape of the Hackensack r iver was found by Bolles son, Red, nearly 3000

iles from where it was painted. On a lark his son stopped by a garage sale that was

closing up and picked up the painting from a box. He had no idea it was by his father

ntil he cleaned it and discovered his signature.

essional activities as a form of therapy and any income earned

as placed into a bank account for them. In Bolles case the

ospital staff also provided him with a small room to use as a stu-

o. o es cont nue to pant t roug out s stay at reystone,spec a z ng n portra ts o reystone empoyees rang ng rom

e ar er to osp ta a m n strators. e aso compete many

erson a pa n t n gs an s tu e s. n e o e s c anv as w t c ru e y

a nte pornograp c e ements as een oun , ut t ere s no

v e nc e r ec t y n n g t e se a t o n s t o o e s m se .A t oug t e c on tons a t r ey stone w ere g rm an t e os-

ital was severely overcrowded, Bolles life hardly fit with the

stereotype of a madman. His friends and family made regular

rips to visit him on the hospital grounds to have picnics. Bolles

ntellect was undiminished by his circumstances and he relishedheir animated discussions on topics from art to world affairs.

His grandson Dan recalls him talking in detail about emerging jet

ngine technology and its implications for air flight. He enjoyed

aking his grandchildren to see the animals at the hospital farm or

o fish in the local streams. Bolles was granted furloughs duringhe holidays or for important family events including the wedding

f his daughter, Theresa. In the early 1940s, Bolles returned home

or more extended periods, but each time he suffered relapses and

ad to return to the confines of Greystone. Bolles was a patient

efore the advent of psychiatric medication; standard treatmentsf the time included such dubious remedies as hydrotherapy

nd injections of insulin. There were periods when he became

verwhelmed with the isolation and one harsh winter could only

r te, up to suppera ar wor ac out o oors a ter-

ar w te. e t ere, s w e, ar a, w o a een a ngor some t me, e .

roug out s stay at reystone, o es manta ne reguar

ontac t w t a m y an re n s t rou g e tter s, o ten pe nnng

ore t an one a ay n s e egant scrpt. e carr e on severaorres pon e nc es on t e su e ct o a rt , t e mos t s gn c ant w t

is daughter Elizabeth. For over a decade they t raded letters on

he topic of painting. Bolles wrote detailed descriptions of setting

e rs on a p a n n c ap on e rs on a p a n n c ap o n

olles (right) attends his daughter Theresas wedding, c. 1939

Portrait of Dan, c. ????


14/14

ustraton

p a palette, underpainting, brush work, painting skin tones, and

the selection of subject matter. He often enclosed painting diagrams

nd for a time they traded small work paintings. In one letter heescribed the process of self-discovery through art : As you grow

lder in picture making, that sort of thing will take its proper place

s sort of a glandular levitator or such. The very important thing

becoming more and more yourself and your work; the gratification

s o w ngyourse w at want to see; now ng as you surey oy now t at some o t e t ngs you e w e e y many, some

y a ew. e content o t ese etters, wr tten n s t r eca e

t reystone, prov e compe ng ev ence t a t o es nte ect

n e mo t ona eat were ntact. n act, most o t e o es am yecame convnce s ness a remtte , an quest one osp ta

m n strators a out t e necessty o m rema n ng a patent.

A NEW BEGINNINGIn the end, several circumstances led to Bolles release from

reystone, including state budget cuts and changes in health policy

that emptied mental wards across the countr y. In June of 1969, his

family received a phone call from Greystone and were informed

that Bolles was to be discharged. Within the week he was back in hisfamily home in Greystone and settling into old routines. His grand-

aughter Patty recalled that it felt like he had never left. In little

time Bolles had set up a studio in the attic and resumed painting,

telling his grandson that he had some new ideas for pin-ups that

wou ta e m ten years to ac eve. e was a so anxous to resumes proe ss ona c aree r a n too t e tra n to Ne w or w t sampes

to s ow to varous magaznes, as we as to v s t s s ster ary w o

ve t e re . o e s e arne t a t A e rto a rgas a r e vve s c aree r

w t ay o y , an ec e to go to ts man compettor, ent ous ,

to see t ey wou e ntereste . n ortunate y, t ey were not.o es aso egan wor on pantngs o severa am y mem ers,

emarking that after more than a half century of experience he was

ust egnn ng to earn a out pantng. At oug se ye s g t wa s s ow y a ng a n w ou e ve ntua y orce

him to paint with a magnifying glass, in his late 80s he

completed several impressive portraits. A man whose

remarkable memory was undimmed by t he decades,

on one occasion he and his gr andson Jack were hikingto a fishing spot in the back hills of New Jersey when

Bolles diverted them off their path to a lone cabin in the

woods. He approached an aged black man sitting in a

rocker on the porch and introduced himself. It tur ned

out the two were boyhood friends some 70 years earlier.They spent the next hour speaking as if a day hadnt

passed since they last saw one another.

As Bolles reached his 90s, his physical health began to

decline. He was diagnosed with a heart condition and

for a time was limited to sitting in an easy chair, buteven this did not prevent him from painting. An out-

doorsman to the end, only a few days before he passed

away Bolles walked a trail into the local woods to spend

t me at one o s avorte spots at a pon . e e oeart a ure on arc 16, 1976 at t e age o 93.

An so en s my own story. egan t s pro ect w t

t e mo e st goa to e arn s omet ng a out t e wor o a

ong negecte artst, an nstea uncovere a compex

man w ose e was e ne y many contrasts. o esroug t eauty an peasure to so many w t s pay u

art, but his own life was marked with periods of anguish

and illness. A kind man with a gentl e manner, his art

delved into sophisticated erotic themes. Bolles pa nt ngs

were in the public eye for decades, yet he was an intense-y private person who shied from publicity. It is difficult to resolve

hese disparate aspects of his nature, but it can be said that in life,

Enoch Bolles embodied what his instructor Robert Henri had told

im over 60 years earlier: Picture making is not a way of making a

iving, it is a way of living.

Jack Raglin @ 2004

any people contributed to this article, but I am especially indebted to the Bolles

amily. Special thanks go to Theresa Simes, Jack Simes, Patty Oelkers, Robin

Oelkers, Dan and Fritzi Bolles. My appreciation goes to Ed Comentale for his

nsightful review of this article.

All original artwork for this article reproduced with expressed permission of the

wners. Thanks to Louis K. Meisel for the use of artwork from his collection.

Jack Raglin is a professor at Indiana University in Bloomington. He is working on a

ook about the art and life of Enoch Bolles. To contact Mr. Raglin, please write to:

[email protected].

OURCES:

nthony, Norman. How to Grow Old DisgracefullyNew York: Duell, Sloan, and

Pearce, 1946.

ustin, Reid S. Petty. The Classic Pin-Up Art of George PettyNew York: Random

House, 1997.

Ellis, Douglas. Uncovered: The Hidden Art of The Girlie Pulps. Silver Spring, MD:

dventure House, 2003.

Kitch, Carolyn L. The Girl on the M agazine Cover: The Origins of Visual Stereotypes

n American Mass Media. Chapel Hill, NC: The University of North Carolina Press,001.

Meyer, Susan E.Americas Great Illustrators . New York: H. N. Abrams., 1978.

Sloane, David E.E. (Ed.)American Humor Magazines and Comic PeriodicalsNew

York: Greenwood Press, 1987.

Smilby, Francis. Stolen Sweets: The Cover Girls of Yesteryear, Their Elegance,

Charm, and Sex Appeal. New York: Playboy Press, 1981.

Watermill, 1967

enoch bolles by john raglin

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