Born, Italy. Original style in US was a flat-color, fade-awayish aspect for Life magazine (though his later Life assignments would show his more free, lush brush work. Famous for his glamour girls from the 20s through the early 40s utilizing a multi-media palette of chalk and wash. Expert in making clothed women look like they were wearing virtually nothing, he was a hit with both fashion and women's magazines (Saturday Evening Post, Ladies Home Journal, Cosmopolitan), as well as advertisers. An excellent monograph was published in 2001: John LaGatta; An Artist's Life, by Jill Bossert.