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Image Not Available for Lustrchrome Real Photo postcard of Marilyn Monroe 1950s
Lustrchrome Real Photo postcard of Marilyn Monroe 1950s
Image Not Available for Lustrchrome Real Photo postcard of Marilyn Monroe 1950s

Lustrchrome Real Photo postcard of Marilyn Monroe 1950s

Date1940s
Object number00025976
NamePostcard
MediumLustrechrome print on card
DimensionsOverall: 140 x 90 mm
ClassificationsPosters and postcards
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionScreen legend Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962) was a complex and talented actor whose platinum blonde bombshell looks were admired and imitated around the globe. She began her career with a wholesome girl-woman innocence modelling demure swimwear designs which quickly changed to a sophisticated screen siren in the 1953 films Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and How to Marry a Millionaire. Monroe wore swimsuits sculptured like evening dresses with draping, pleats and shirring which showed off her hourglass figure to perfection. She transcended whatever fashion she was wearing by her ability to flirt with the camera and transmit a mesmerising sexuality. HistoryThe bathing beauty has been continually reinvented since its emergence in the 20th century as screen idol, pin-up and fashion plate – always the ideal of physical perfection. Film studios, fashion and magazine editors quickly exploited the publicity and sales potential of the swimsuit. Screen stars and fashion mannequins were photographed modelling the latest swimwear styles. It was the perfect way to package glamour, seduction and sex appeal as entertainment and to circumvent film censorship codes introduced in the 1930s. Screen legend Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962) was a complex and talented actor whose platinum blonde bombshell looks were admired and imitated around the globe. She began her career with a wholesome girl-woman innocence modelling demure swimwear designs which quickly changed to a sophisticated screen siren in the 1953 films Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and How to Marry a Millionaire. Monroe wore swimsuits sculptured like evening dresses with draping, pleats and shirring which showed off her hourglass figure to perfection. She transcended whatever fashion she was wearing by her ability to flirt with the camera and transmit a mesmerising sexuality. Celebrity postcards of the starlet , then star were cheaply produced and widely distributed.SignificanceThis is an example of mass produced Hollywood ephemera featuring a bikini clad Marilyn Monroe. Such merchandising was used to promote up and coming talent as well as promoting major studio stars.