St. Tropez Glamorous Star Struck Period Painting from the Brigitte Bardot Era

The present illustration depicts the jet-set French Riviera scene of St. Tropez during the glamorous Brigitte Bardot period of the 1950's. At the time, this was the global "IT" place of bohemian glitz and modern sensuality. A cast of fashionable avant-garde types is seen rubbing elbows with locals wearing berets and navy-blue striped Breton tops. Artist Michael Berry's jam-packed figural composition is punctuated with a sexie movie-star type in a yellow micro-bikini walking a French poodle. She is accompanied by an equally sexually charged, shirtless Marcel with a cravat in sunglasses and sandals. What's important here is that Berry captured the carefree St. Tropez vibe with a keen sense of social observation as it unfolded. And not with historical hindsight that might have turned the genuine into over-caricature. The work is as much a historical cultural document as assignment illustration. Signed and titled Michael Berry, St. Tropez, Unframed, Graphite, watercolor, and gouache on board. Board size: 15 x 20
Michael Berry was an in-demand mid-century illustrator who worked for Sunday Pictorial Review, Esquire, Liberty, and others.