The Gibson Girl first appeared in the 1890s illustrations of artist Charles Dana Gibson and helped inform the beauty standards for American women of the time — for better and for worse.
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While what ’s known as the " Gibson Girl " is technically a serial publication of drawings that were featured in LIFE magazine in 1908 , those study had a profound impact on the culture of the late 1800s and early 1900s . They portray the modern cleaning woman ; well - educated , neat , skilled , and independent .
MCAD Library / Flickr"She function Into Colors , " Charles Dana Gibson .
Of naturally , Gibson Girls were also beautiful ; improbable , with hourglass figures and richly messy updos . Furthermore — and perhaps most significantly — they were more or lessportrayed as equals to men .
However , the beauty expected value set by the Gibson Girl have also been deemed as a hindrance to feminist movement and the " womanly ideal " was weaponized by misogynist .
Creating The ‘Gibson Girl’
Through his noted depictions of womanhood play tennis and golf , swim , and ride bikes and horses , illustrator Charles Dana Gibson promoted the notion that a woman could be gymnastic and independent and still be moot fashionable .
He also championed the idea that it should be socially acceptable for womanhood to freely arise their talents and interest in the arts . finally , Gibson ’s drawings introduce many conservatives to a more reform-minded view of women in which they had their own autonomy .
While there was no exclusive " original " Gibson Girl , it iswidely acceptedthat Gibson ’s first draft were created in the image of the notable model Evelyn Nesbit .
Others hold that the inspiration for many of the sketches were found on Gibson ’s married woman Irene Langhorne . But the illustrator himselfhas claimedthat his eponymic model of femininity was simply a reaction to the kinds of liberated women he was already seeing in American cities .
" I ’ll recount you how I produce what you have called the ' Gibson Girl . ' I saw her on the streets , I learn her at the theatres , I saw her in the churches . I see her everywhere and doing everything … [ T]he body politic made the character … There is n’t any ' Gibson Girl , ' but there are many K of American girls , and for that permit us all give thanks God . "
Gibson ’s ideal fair sex was also usually in the upper - mediate - class ; though the artist had an interest in explore different social spheres and setting . The Gibson Girl was competent and self - control , and always maintained her lady - like etiquette .
Comparing Charles Gibson’s Ideal To The ‘New Woman’
As the act of the 100 saw a rise in women ’s self-reliance , it was also considered to be the era of the " New Woman , " or female person seeking equality and opportunity through role in the public sphere . These were the suffragist ; the women essay extremist change .
Often , multitude thought the Gibson Girls exemplify the visual saint of the " New Woman , " but there were in reality distinct differences between the two .
Gibson ’s representation was a more patriarchy - favorable version . Whether this was done becausehe look down on " New Women"or just because he wanted to sell more art can be debated .
While Gibson ’s " It girl " was emancipated to the point of possibly having a task or going to college , she would probably not have gone so far as to be a proponent of the vote movement . At least , not publicly .
Gibson ’s illustrations often depicted women scheming over how to snag the plenteous husband . The " New Woman " oftenremained exclusive ; either by choice or because observe a husband who believed in terminated equation was rarefied .
Also a far battle cry from the feminine garb fag by the Gibson Girls , the " New Woman " opted to dress as comfortably as possible for her job and acrobatic activeness — which sometimes mean what was traditionally thought of as male dress .
The popularity of the Gibson Girl nonesuch penetrate almost every facial expression of American life for two 10 . As the 1920s set about , the persona of the life-sustaining and active Gibson Girl stay on to pave the way for the dynamic flappers to make their historical soft touch .
Meanwhile , the " New Woman " would keep to wreak about future changes that even the most liberated Gibson Girl could only dream of .
Next , take a look at these33 photos of the 1920s flappers in action mechanism . Then , check outthese candid photosof Marilyn Monroe as " the girl next room access " .
MCAD Library/Flickr"She Goes Into Colors," Charles Dana Gibson.
