Berardinis,
Olivia De. Bettie Page's Eyes. Web. 19 October 2012.
<http://www.eolivia.com/site/ProdImages/G-3020.M.jpg>.
In the first part of the 20th century, sexually charged photographs and artwork surged in popularity of idealized women in scantily clad outfits. Although the heyday of this artistic style enjoyed its zenith during World War II, the genre continued in the pages of Playboy. A later day master of the style is Olivia de Berardinis, made famous by her renditions of the iconic Bettie Page. The example herein is a very tame example in regard to its lack of nudity, but captures well the essence of the siren-like quality of the pin-up girl. The expression on her face emits seduction, rendering all within her gaze powerless to her charms.
The unrequited
theme here involves the subject being in possession of the art or photo, and
becoming infatuated with the image. The idealized fantasy grows within the mind
of the subject, distinctly without any participation from the object of the
subject's libido. In many ways, the feelings that occur within the subject can
be very real and very close to feelings within an actual relationship, even as
far as falling in love, obviously which is unreturned.