Patrick Nagel was an American artist best known for his distinctive illustrations. Employing a graphic, highly stylized aesthetic, many of Nagel’s best-known works appeared in 1980s issues of Playboy magazine. Born in Dayton, OH on November 25, 1945 he went on to serve in Vietnam before receiving his BFA from California State University in 1969. He began contributing to Playboy magazine in 1976, refining his precise, minimal style, which is often compared to the smooth, clean lines of Art Deco. His figures tended to have black hair, bright white skin, and full-lipped mouths, including the woman in one of his most famous images, the album cover art for Duran Duran’s 1982 album Rio. He died at the age of 38 on February 4, 1984, having suffered a heart attack after participating in a in a 15-minute celebrity "Aerobathon" to raise funds for the American Heart Association.