The scene is instantly recognizable to anyone familiar with 1930s Parisian livres galants. A corseted dominatrix stands like a dark Venus, one hand raised with a whip, the other resting on a curtain that frames her like a proscenium. At her feet: a kneeling man,…
~ 1907 – ? Vala Moro was an Austro‑Hungarian dancer and graphic artist who flourished in Vienna during the intoxicating 1920s and 1930s. Born in 1907, she appeared on prestigious stages such as the Wiener Konzerthaus, where she performed intimate dance‑dramas, including a version of The Burning Girl set…
~ 1869 – 1942 Šimůnek was a Czech watercolorist, illustrator, and designer renowned for his delicate, atmospheric works that capture everyday life, folklore, and theatrical scenes. Born in the town of Beroun, he pursued formal training at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, studying under…
~ 1900 – 1976 Margaret Hedda Brundage (née Johnson) as an American pulp magazine cover artist renowned for her sensational, pastel-rendered illustrations that defined the visual identity of Weird Tales during the 1930s. Often called the “Frank Frazetta of the 1930s” for her lurid depictions…
~ 1849 – 1928 Édouard-Henri Avril was a French painter and commercial artist. For his erotic art he used the pseudonym Paul Avril. Avril was born in Algiers, is father was a colonel of the gendarmerie. Avril himself fought and was wounded in the Franco-Prussian War before starting…
~ 1930 – 2011 Rolf Dieter Schieldrum, also known as Mister O, was a German industrial designer primarily recognized for his work in the automotive industry. Born in 1930, Schieldrum spent much of his career designing for automobiles, applying his technical expertise to functional and…
~ 1906 – 1940 Jaroslav Štika was a Czech painter and illustrator celebrated for his provocative contributions to early 20th-century erotic art. After studying at Prague’s Academy of Fine Arts under Jakub Obrovský and refining his craft at Rome’s Accademia di Belle Arti, Štika developed…
~ unknown Little is known about Juan del Lapiz, a pseudonym that translates to “John of the Pencil” in Spanish, hinting at the artist’s skill with delicate line work. The artist was active circa 1930, a period when illustrated erotica flourished in Europe, particularly in…