Hilda By Duane Bryers: The Iconic Pin-Up Girl From The 50s

Who Drew Hilda Pin-Up?

The author of Hilda, the “unconventionally chubby” pin-up girl, is Duane B. “Dick” Bryers (1911 - 2012) from Tucson, Arizona. He was a painter, sculptor, and illustrator who became famous for his pin-up art. 

From murals depicting the mining history of Minnesota to “girlie art” on aircraft fuselages (also called nose art), magazine illustrations, and watercolors depicting the cowboy life, Duane Bryers’ art was truly diverse. 

However, what made him really famous was Duane Bryers’ Hilda, the cheerful pin-up model. He made about 250 drawings of her beginning in 1956 and up until the mid-80s. Hilda was just as famous as the other pin-up icon, Bettie Page, whose pictures frequenting all kinds of magazines during the 50s. 

What is The History of Pin-Up Art?

The history of pin-ups begins as early as the 19th century when burlesque performers and actresses started using photographic advertisements both as business cards and as a means to advertise their shows. Later on, it became quite popular to sell these posters to anyone wanting them. Since those posters, and later magazine cut-outs, were usually pinned up somewhere on a wall or inside lockers of G.I.s during WWII, the term stuck, and the girls depicted in those banners started to be called pin-up models.  

It’s true that those posters were mostly intended for an aesthetic purpose without any deeper meaning or thought in them, but there were also authors of pin-ups like Duane Bryers with unconventional ideas and whimsical commentary of the cult-like sexualization of women.

Who Was The Real Hilda?

Hilda’s realistic looks and cheery personality made lots of people believe that she was based on a real woman. However, Bryers denied the speculation by admitting that Hilda's pin-up was purely the creation of his imagination and not a depiction of someone he knew. 

The brilliance of Hilda was in the fact that she always satirized the pin-up culture while also embracing its tropes, all that with a fun, adventurous, and very loving attitude. It’s really no wonder that Duane Bryers’ creation became this popular and is well-loved even though decades have passed and trends have changed tremendously. 

Now, let’s get back to  Hilda’s adventures on our list! And if you love any of them, don’t forget to tell us in the comments.