Chris K. UNITED STATES
Member Since August 2008
743 Artworks | Watched by 221
Artwork Details
Location: WRIGHT, DAVID (Advertising, Fashion & Illustration Art)
Title: Wright, David - The Impure Cup, cover (1954)
Artist:  David Wright (Painter)
Media Type: Paint - Acrylic
Art Type: Cover
For Sale Status: NFS
Views: 663
Likes on CAF: 21
Comments: 18
Added to Site: 9/23/2025

Share This Artwork
Description
Here is one of David Wright's fabulously sexy paperback covers, this one for the English translation of ‘The Impure Cup’ published in the United Kingdom by Harborough Novels in 1954. In this piece, Wright displays his signature touches of restraint in the presentation of his subject, as well as deep attention to overall composition detail and the use of delicately placed white highlighting to add a shimmer that draws the viewer’s eye.

The ‘Impure Cup’ was the 72nd book in the Harborough line of pulp novels. The book was a Louis-Charles Royer novel initially published in French (‘La Coupe Impure’) by Editions de Paris in January of 1951. It was one of many books by Louis-Charles Royer translated into English and published by Harborough. Wright put his unique stamp on the Harborough covers he produced to grab the attention of potential readers. Exact historical records are tough to track down, but Wright provided stunning covers for other Harborough novels going back to at least 1952 - and interestingly, he’d provide at least one more in 1954, the line’s 74th book, ‘The Ardent Lover’.

As a final note, this piece is featured on pages 145 and 175 of Terry Parker’s ‘Sirens’, the definitive book on David Wright’s professional advertising, illustration, and pin-up work predating his creation of ‘Carol Day’. The piece appears twice because it was initially printed in the November 1952 edition of Men Only, volume 51, number 203, as a pin-up. Wright subsequently reused the piece, with added hand-lettering, to create the cover for The Impure Cup in 1954.




About The Owner

Member Since: August 2008
Last Login: April 2026
Country: UNITED STATES
On CAF:
Chris's Want List
Artworks Commented On
Liked Art
Site Activity
Contact Chris K.

Login or register for an account to email the owner of this artwork.

Comments on this Artwork

You must be logged in to make comments.
John Voytek Member Since 2008
1    
Posted On 9/23/2025

Stunningly beautiful! Where do you keep finding these amazing David Wright examples? Congratulations!

Peter Sullivan Member Since 2006
1    
Posted On 9/23/2025

Where's the cup? I looked and looked and can't see it. Is it off being cleaned as it's impure?

Chris K. Member Since 2008
2    
Posted On 9/23/2025

Peter Sullivan wrote:
"  Where's the cup? I looked and looked and can't see it. Is it off being cleaned as it's impure?
 "

I was wondering when someone would ask this question. It's a great one, to be sure. Which is why I should have known you'd be the one to ask it!

Peter Sullivan Member Since 2006
1    
Posted On 9/24/2025

Chris K. wrote:
"  I was wondering when someone would ask this question. It's a great one, to be sure. Which is why I should have known you'd be the one to ask it!
 "

Call me Mister study the title....and the artwork.

Patrick R Member Since 2017
1    
Posted On 9/23/2025

Another beautiful addition Chris.

Marcus Wai Member Since 2005
2    
Posted On 9/23/2025

Now that's a great parlor piece!  All the impurities are painted away when you follow her back all the way down her leg which gives us some impure thoughts.

Peter Sullivan Member Since 2006
2    
Posted On 9/24/2025

Marcus Wai wrote:
"  Now that's a great parlor piece!  All the impurities are painted away when you follow her back all the way down her leg which gives us some impure thoughts.
 "

So you are a leg man. The secrets out.

Duke  Fleed Member Since 2013
2    
Posted On 9/23/2025

If there is a cup, let alone an impure one in this painting, I was too distracted to notice. Congrats!

Peter Sullivan Member Since 2006
2    
Posted On 9/24/2025

Duke Fleed wrote:
"  If there is a cup, let alone an impure one in this painting, I was too distracted to notice. Congrats!
 "

There isn't. I checked. I ran my connoisseurs eye over it. I used one; the other was busy ogling.

Marcus Wai Member Since 2005
2    
Posted On 9/24/2025

Peter Sullivan wrote:
"  There isn't. I checked. I ran my connoisseurs eye over it. I used one; the other was busy ogling.
 "

I'm going to guess they are at least B cups.

John Bamber Member Since 2004
1    
Posted On 9/24/2025

Oh that's amazing!

Mark Howland Member Since 2004
1    
Posted On 9/24/2025

That's a big roll you are on.

Rick W Member Since 2017
1    
Posted On 9/24/2025

Pure beauty!

Kavi H Member Since 2018
1    
Posted On 9/24/2025

wow, a very striking paperback cover piece. beautifully painted! congrats. 

Toni S Member Since 2019
1    
Posted On 9/24/2025

Wow man! That is ART!

Ruben DaCollector Member Since 2008
1    
Posted On 9/24/2025

As others seem to imply, I'm very confident that both of her cups are VERY pure. It's amazing to see that the art survived in such great condition. I love the drapery she's sitting on, so fine.

Jeremy Radisich Member Since 2004
1    
Posted On 9/25/2025

Beautiful piece--love her expression.

Malcolm Bourne Member Since 2005
1    
Posted On 10/4/2025

Beautiful!

You must be logged in to make comments.