What did the real women who posed for the iconic pin-up paintings of the ’50s look like? As a series of “before and after” images that appeared last year and placed pin-up mastermind Gil Elvgren‘s finished pictures side-by-side with the photographs they were based on revealed, the paintings and their inspirations are uncannily similar — aside from some differing hairstyles, costumes, and sometimes proportions. (Dangerous Minds calls the women “the original victims of Photoshop.”) For those who can’t get enough of these comparisons — or just love pin-up art — Retronaut has located another, substantially larger, set that you can page through after the jump. Those with sharp eyes will notice that many of the photos feature the same woman; she’s Elvgren’s wife, and apparently had quite a flair for provocative posing.
Image credit: Gil Elvgren
Image credit: Gil Elvgren
Image credit: Gil Elvgren
Image credit: Gil Elvgren
Image credit: Gil Elvgren
Image credit: Gil Elvgren
Image credit: Gil Elvgren
Image credit: Gil Elvgren
Image credit: Gil Elvgren
Image credit: Gil Elvgren
Image credit: Gil Elvgren
Image credit: Gil Elvgren
Image credit: Gil Elvgren
Image credit: Gil Elvgren
Image credit: Gil Elvgren
Image credit: Gil Elvgren
Image credit: Gil Elvgren
Image credit: Gil Elvgren