Feline Entre-Act c1919
“Feline Entre-Act c1919” is a captivating artwork created by Peruvian artist Alberto Vargas, who was known for his illustrations of sensual, glamorous women and vivid portrayals of the human form. Vargas, born in 1896 and passing in 1982, became a renowned figure in the world of art, particularly for his pin-up girl illustrations, which have continued to influence the artistic community. In this piece, Vargas skillfully blends realism with a hint of fantasy, evoking a mood of playfulness and intrigue while capturing the intense allure of the female form.
Table of Contents
Subject and Composition
The central subject of “Feline Entre-Act” is a nude woman reclining sensually on a smooth, almost ethereal surface. Her body, smooth and curvaceous, is contrasted with the sharp, muscular form of a large tiger lying beside her. Her body is draped in nothing but a pair of delicate black stockings that emphasize her long, elegant legs.
The tiger’s presence is striking, with its powerful jaws open in a snarl, displaying both strength and danger. In the woman’s hands, she holds a black cat by its tail, which seems to be playfully perched above her. The contrast between the two animals, the dangerous tiger and the playful cat, adds a layer of intrigue and symbolism to the piece.
The composition of the piece is centered around the woman’s figure. The tiger, almost positioned as a guardian or companion to the woman, balances the overall composition with its fierce, menacing gaze. The black cat, a symbol often associated with mystery and femininity, contrasts the tiger, perhaps representing the woman’s playful, more whimsical side.
The tiger’s powerful stance and vivid gaze suggest that while the woman is in a position of repose, she is not passive. The tiger, which symbolizes strength and danger, is softened by the woman’s confident pose and her intimate interaction with the smaller, more mischievous feline.
Materials and Technique
Vargas, known for his delicate attention to detail and mastery of color, employed a technique that blends soft and vibrant hues to bring his subjects to life. The background of the piece is dominated by an intense gradient of red, which creates a warm, almost surreal atmosphere, enveloping the figures in a dreamlike aura.
The shading of the woman’s body, especially in the lower torso and thighs, showcases Vargas’s ability to highlight the natural curves and contours of the human form. This rendering of light and shadow adds depth and dimension to her figure, making her appear almost lifelike against the smooth, vibrant background.
The woman’s fiery red hair is another focal point of the piece, its bold color drawing the viewer’s eye toward her head and face. The intensity of the red hair contrasts beautifully with the darker tones of her stockings, the cat, and the tiger. Her gaze, soft yet confident, adds to the sensual nature of the piece, inviting the viewer to linger on her expression.
Vargas’s use of line work is also worth noting; he employs a fluid, almost sensuous quality to the contours of the woman’s body and the animals that surround her. The sleekness of the tiger’s form and the softness of the woman’s body are drawn with fine, sweeping lines that convey the natural grace and elegance of both subjects. The textures are soft, with no harsh contrasts, allowing the viewer to focus on the interplay between the figures and their environment.
Mood and Theme
The overall mood of “Feline Entre-Act” is one of intense sensuality, yet there is an undercurrent of mystery and danger. The juxtaposition of the graceful, poised woman with the fierce tiger suggests a theme of duality—strength and vulnerability, elegance and ferocity.
The black cat, smaller in size, yet equally as mysterious, reinforces the theme of contrasting elements. The playful nature of the cat juxtaposes the tiger’s aggression, creating an intriguing dynamic that keeps the viewer’s gaze shifting between the two animals and the woman.
Vargas captures the delicate balance between the female figure’s beauty and the animalistic strength of the tiger. The piece speaks to the allure of femininity, with the tiger acting as a metaphor for both the danger and the power that can lie in a woman’s gaze and presence.
The setting is intimate and dreamlike, enhancing the themes of sensuality and mystery. The red background suggests warmth, passion, and even danger, heightening the tension between the woman and the tiger.
The inclusion of animals, particularly the tiger and the cat, introduces an element of the wild into an otherwise serene scene, suggesting that the woman, though in a relaxed state, holds an untamed strength within her. The red color, symbolic of passion and strength, further emphasizes this idea, as it surrounds the woman and the animals, enveloping them in an environment that is both luxurious and dangerous.
Conclusion
“Feline Entre-Act c1919” by Alberto Vargas is a masterpiece that showcases the artist’s skill in blending sensuality with strength, capturing the timeless allure of the female form while incorporating elements of the wild that both complement and contrast with her.
The vivid use of color, the interplay between light and shadow, and the contrast between the animals and the woman create a composition that is both visually striking and thematically rich. Vargas’s ability to convey beauty, power, and mystery in a single piece of art is what makes “Feline Entre-Act” a true example of his mastery as an artist. The artwork is not just a depiction of a woman and her animals; it is a meditation on the complex, multifaceted nature of femininity itself.
Feline Entre-Act is a retouched digital art old masters reproduction of a public domain image.
Artist Bio
Info Below From Wikipedia.org
Born in Arequipa, Peru, he was the son of noted Peruvian photographer Max T. Vargas. Alberto Vargas moved to the United States in 1916 after studying art in Europe, Zurich, and Geneva prior to World War I.
While he was in Europe he came upon the French magazine La Vie Parisienne, with a cover by Raphael Kirchner, which he said was a great influence on his work.
His early career in New York included work as an artist for the Ziegfeld Follies and for many Hollywood studios. Ziegfeld hung his painting of Olive Thomas at the theater, and she was thought of as one of the earliest Vargas Girls.
Vargas’ most famous piece of film work was for the poster of the 1933 film The Sin of Nora Moran, which shows a near-naked Zita Johann in a pose of desperation. The poster is frequently named one of the greatest movie posters ever made.
He became widely noted in the 1940s as the creator of iconic World War-II era pin-ups for Esquire magazine known as “Vargas Girls.” Between 1940 and 1946 Vargas produced 180 paintings for the magazine.
The nose art of many American and Allied World War II aircraft was inspired and adapted from these Esquire pin-ups, as well as those of George Petty, and other artists.
