Gibson Girls

The Gibson Girl was the personification of the feminine ideal as portrayed in the satirical pen and ink illustrated stories created by illustrator Charles Dana Gibson during over 15 years spanning the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.

A photograph of Camille Clifford, showing the S-curve silhouette of the fashionable Edwardian 'swan-bill corset'.

The Gibson Girl was tall, slender yet with ample bosom, hips and bottom in the S-curve torso shape achieved by wearing a swan-bill corset; she was fine-featured, and achingly beautiful. The images of her epitomized the late nineteenth and early 20th-century Western preoccupation with statuesque, youthful features, and ephemeral beauty. Her neck was thin and her hair piled high upon her head in the contemporary bouffant, pompadour, and chignon ("waterfall of curls") fashions.

Many models posed for Gibson Girl-style illustrations, including Gibson's wife, Irene Langhorne, (who may have been the original model) and Anaïs Nin. The most famous Gibson Girl was probably the Danish-American stage actress, Camille Clifford, whose towering coiffure and long, elegant gowns wrapped around her hourglass figure and tightly corseted wasp waist defined the style.

Among Gibson Girl illustrators were Howard Chandler Christy whose work celebrating American "beauties" was similar to Gibson's and Harry G. Peter, who was most famous for his art on Wonder Woman comics.

The Gibson Girl personified beauty, limited independence, personal fulfillment (she was pictured attending college and choosing the best mate, but she was never pictured as part of a suffrage march), and American national prestige. By the outbreak of World War I, changing fashions caused the Gibson Girl to fall from favor. Women of the World War I era favored a sober, masculine suit (first designed and popularized by Coco Chanel) over the elegant dresses, bustle gowns, shirtwaists, and terraced, shorter skirts favored by the Gibson Girl.

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Customer Comments: The two leading American illustrators of women at the dividing point of the 19th and 20th centuries were Charles Dana Gibson and Harrison Fisher. I find that I have always liked Gibson much better than Fisher, because Fisher seems to lack a sense of humor while Gibson's work is informed by a sharp, dry, sometimes sardonic wit as he eyes the fads and follies of the high society of the 1890's and early 1900's (of which he himself was a part by virtue of his marriage to one of the Langhorne sisters). As the previous reviewer has mentioned, the highlight of this particular collection is the inclusion of the bulk of the drawings from his famous "The Education of Mr. Pipp", which combines Gibson's trademark humor with not one, but two, beautiful Gibson girls. (Considering that Gibson, earlier in his career, had issued vituperative denunciations of mercenary marital alliances between Eurotrash nobles and American women - most notably in his famous "America's Tribute" - it is particularly humorous that one of Mr. Pipp's daughters is snagged by a Scottish laird who is as clean-cut and upstanding as any American Gibson man!) As I mentioned in my review of Steven Warshaw's "The Gibson Girl", "The Gibson Girl and Her America" is best appreciated as part of a comprehensive collection including both aforementioned books plus Woody Gelman's "The Best of Charles Dana Gibson" and Fairfax Downey's 1936 biography (containing over 100 Gibson drawings) "Portrait of an Era as Drawn by C.D. Gibson". (Actually, the Gibson completist really needs to get - if he or she can find it! - the 1906/1907 2-volume behemoth "The Gibson Book", a compilation of 11 of the artist's volumes with a total of over 800 drawings.) Failing that, this book is a splendid introduction to the work of one of the true icons of America's popular culture.

This is a great book for anyone who likes the fashons of the late 1800's, Gibson girl, or just well drawn pictures! Gibson was a great artist, and you can tell from his captions he had a sense of humor. Every page in the book is filled with beautiful, clear, large sized drawings of Gibson Girl and her friends. I was delighted with my copy!! It even includes Gibson's "comic" book, "The Education of Mr. Pipp", and a brief but interesting biography of Mr. Gibson.

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Customer Comments: My favorite costumes (not pictured on cover) are the lilac croquet costume and purple and gold velvet tea gown. Good quality!

I just get lost in the fanisty of the era when I look at this paperdoll book..I buy them to use on altered art projects,decoupage but ive not cut on this one yet......its fine quality paper,great coloring..I love the way the ladies and gentlemen look so eligant...maybe someday ill use it for a project..but not today:) B.W.

This book will delight paper doll enthusiasts. The dolls have complete wardrobes, ranging from bathing suits, sportswear, daywear to evening wear. There is even a wedding dress accessorized with a handsome groom! "Gibson Girls Paper Dolls in Full Color" is a lovely tribute to the Gibson Girl phenomenon.

Gibson Girl Illustrations Buy this from Amazon.com Price: $10.17

Gibson Girl Illustrations Ready To Use Buy this from Amazon.com Price: $6.95

Beyond the Gibson Girl: Reimagining the American New Woman, 1895-1915 Buy this from Amazon.com Price: $35.00

Gibson Girls: 23 Black-And-White Pressure-Sensitive Stickers (Dover Instant Art Stickers) Buy this from Amazon.com UsedPrice $120.58 Customer Comments: Excellent Black & White drawings & printed etchings of C.1900-1910 "Gibson Girls" stylized drawings, that appear to have the "look" of Charles Dana Gibson or Harrison Fischer drawings. Both men were celebrated Illustraters of the turn of the century glamourized "coca cola" women. Recommended uses would be photocopying and for use in study & projects as there are facial closeups and women in various active poses. Very good...