It was sad to read that the 1950s pin-up queen Bettie Page died last Thursday in hospital in Los Angeles. Even if you don't recognise her name it's likely that you'll know her image - "killer curves and coal-black bangs" with a smile that always looked like she was having fun even in the most bizarre of pictures.
She pretty much disappeared from the public eye after the 1950s, while at the same time the popularity of her pictures has soared. This has had the curious effect of freezing her image in time, so even though she died at the age of 85, she still remains the iconic young and playfully seductive pin-up. I think that part of her appeal is summed up in the quote from a retrospective article from Reuters: "Bettie Page embodied the stereotypical wholesomeness of the Fifties and the hidden sexuality straining beneath the surface."
The news of her passing can be read in lots of different places (including the BBC, where I took the picture from), however I think that one of the fullest tributes is the obituary at http://www.bettiepage.com/ - well worth reading if you're interested in knowing more about the life and times of "the notorious Bettie Page".
No comments:
Post a Comment