Artist Zoë Mozert painting actress Jane Russell for the iconic image used for the 1941 film ‘The Outlaw.’
Zoë Mozert was not only one of the most well-known pinup model painters of her day, she was also a pinup herself and her work and image have appeared in hundreds of magazines and on film posters. Though there was no shortage of female models willing to pose for her, Mozert often used herself as a subject and why not? Mozert was gorgeous—the perfect embodiment of the quintessential blonde bombshell—and her successful modeling career helped to fund her art school education at the Philadelphia School of Industrial Design. Mozert would later head to New York City to start her long career as an artist.
Mozert’s work was unquestionably on par with her male peers. She would go on to become part of an exclusive all-girl artist “club” that included two other prominent female artists—the creator of the “Coppertone girl” Joyce Ballantyne and Pearl Frush whose photo-realist paintings broke sales records due to their popularity. In the early 30s, Mozert’s work was everywhere including ads for popular products like Kool Cigarettes and Dr. Pepper. She scored a lucrative long-term contract with Brown & Bigelow, who in the 1940s were the largest publisher of calendars in the world.
Mozert would also work as an artist for Warner Brothers where her art was used not only for movie posters but for props that appeared in the films themselves. Her artwork associated with two films that would add more noteworthy credits to Mozert’s expansive resume: the poster artwork for Carole Lombard’s 1937 film True Confessions and the notorious image of Jane Russell for the 1941 film The Outlaw. The sessions with Russell were thankfully photographed for prosperity (pictured at the top of this post).
I’ve included a mix of Mozert’s stunning work as well as a few photographs of the artist in action below. Some are NSFW. Just like Jane Russell and a gun.
Mozert’s portrait of Jane Russell that was used for the movie poster for ‘The Outlaw.’
The gorgeous and talented Mozert modeling for fellow pinup artist Ed Moran.
Mozert in her element.
Mozert striking a pose for one of her own paintings.
A better look at the finished product from the previous image.
‘Orchid.’
Jean Harlowe.
A beautiful nude photograph of Mozert.
Previously on Dangerous Minds:
Cheeky vintage ashtrays featuring nude ladies and racy pinup models
Fabulous covers from the ‘Golden Age’ of Lesbian pulp fiction 1935-65
Girls & guns: Outrageously sexy pulp illustrations from vintage ‘men’s interest’ magazines
Killer clowns: Kooky pulp novels & magazines featuring gun-toting, knife-wielding circus clowns
Sleazy characters from vintage pulp novels spring to life from their covers