The Gibson Girl: Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery

The Gibson Girl was created by Charles Dana Gibson, one of the many illustrators selling their work to publishers of periodicals in Manhttan in the 1890s.

He was born in the Roxbury section of Boston on 14 September 1867, one of five children to a former lieutenant of the Union army in the Civil War and his energetic and generous wife. His father was an amateur artist who encouraged the boy's talent and taught him what he knew. Gibson was fortunate enough to be sent at high school age to the Art Students League in New York City where Thomas Eakins and William Merrit Chase taught. In two years he was forced to leave and find work to ease the financial strain his education imposed on the modest means of his family. He made the rounds of New York publishers and sold a small drawing (a dog chained to a post) to the old Life magazine in 1886. This was the beginning of a 30-year association with Life.

In time he acquired many more clients and was earning enough to rent his own studio. In 1889, when this illustration shown above appeared in The Century magazine for March he had saved enough money to finance a trip to London and Paris. The technique shown in this drawing is what I would call slash and scratch. It was all that most illustrators ever mastered in black and white, and is to be found as well in the work of most cartoonists of the period. It is a far cry from his famous, and so often poorly imitated, brilliant later style shown directly below.

While in England Gibson met the very famous writer, illustrator and wit, George du Maurier whose lyrical style of pen-and-ink illustration set him high above the rest of his peers. However good du Maurier was in depicting beautiful women, Gibson surpassed him. He became supercharged as a result of finally meeting his idol and returned to New York revitalized and truly reinvented himself with his "Gibson Girls."

This is a scan of an original Gibson drawing of 1903 entitled "The Weaker Sex," which the artist gave to the Library of Congress in 1935. Click on it, and the images above, to enlarge.

The incredibly beautiful teenage showgirl, Evelyn Nesbit, was the subject of this famous Gibson drawing entitled "Women: the Eternal Question," and published in 1905 when Nesbit was probably only 18. Evelyn Nesbit was the nubile object of prominent but profligate architect Stanford White's affection and the obsession of his murderer, the infamous Harry Thaw.

Next: Gibson imitators, and how they missed the mark.

Comments

[E.L. McCann]

I have six pen and ink drawings of dickens characters. I believe these to be the People of Dickens. I went to New york to see the pictures. when I was around twenty. Ironically I found these pictures in 1970 when I purchased a house that was built in 1840. My husband had them framed for me during the seventies. I want to know if these items should be kept for posterity. Elvera Leclercq McCann

[michele]

Hello ,I have an original C.D Gibson sketch that was made for my great grandmother back in the early 1920s by C.D him self it is a sketch of a woman standing on one side of a site while a gentleman is sitting on the other end it is on bristol board and 20x24 size paper,something is written on the back left hand upper corner in pencil can't really make out what it says. Does anybody if this would be worth anything

[Tricia]

Hello, I was wondering if anyone knows of a Charles Dana Gibson imitator named F.I. Lewis. I have an incredible copy of his ink or pen art from Collier's Weekly that was titled The Weaker Sex VIII. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[Paul Giambarba]

Dear Lona -- I've never seen an oil by Gibson but I can't believe he never painted in that medium. Perhaps they weren't good enough to be bought. All Posters had this US Navy recruiting poster, see link below, with his signature bottom left, but it's obviously watercolor and gouache [opaque watercolor] over a line drawing. They also credit a Pamplona poster but it doesn't look his style to me.
http://www.allposters.com/-st/Charles-Dana-Gibson-Posters_c87618_.htm

[Lona]

Did Gibson ever paint in oil? I have had a picture of the Eternal Question for nearly 60 yrs. Never knew it had a name until recently. Yet it always fascinated me.

[Peggy]

Hello my mother gave me a sketch of a gibson girl with an angel whispering in her ear it is signed by Gibson & also has a mark after his signature looks like wheat with a capital B on it & a 0 on one side & a 5 on the other sideof the stems the sketch is also called Conspirators I would be interested in selling this sketch if anone knows anything about it. If any information about this sketch my e-mail is plbrlb@gmail.com

[Paul Giambarba]

Vicki -- You might check out these links:

http://www.wargamer.com/forums/tm.aspx?m=133056&mpage=28&print=true

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=Charles+Dana+Gibson&bi=0&bx=off&ds=30&recentlyadded=all&sortby=17&sts=t&tn=A+Widow+and+Her+Friends&x=70&y=9

Good luck, Paul

[Vicki Hansing]

I have Volume 2, "Pictures of People",copyright 1894 and Volume 6, "A Widow and her Friends", copyright 1905. Can anyone tell me of an appraiser in the States that might determine if these have any value.
Thank you

[Ted Jaworski]

We have a set of Gibson Girl books, volumes I & II. Both in very good condition. We have been told they are worth about $400. Not interested in selling them but several posts are asking for an idea of the value. Hope this helps.

[Braden Ferguson]

Hi,

Recently found The Gibson Book volume I & II, they are in quite good condition. Just do not know much about them so trying to do some research and find out more about these books. Any information would be appreciated, as well, is there any value to these books?

Thank You.

[Cynthia Pratt]

I recently purchased a dresser box, style Flemish pyrography. On top of box is an engraved Gibson Girl inside an oval circle and other engraving on the rest of the box. It is signed under the girl what looks like, C.J.Gibson. Does anyone know if this would have been an artform done by Charles Gibson. I understand his initials are C.D., this has me confused. Any help out there. Sincerely

[Cynthia Fontenot]

My mother in law has "The Gibson Book 1" inside the front cover it says 'in two volumes vol.1" dated 1907. She has been short of cash and took this book to an antique store, was going to sell it to them. They were going to give her $30.00, so she decided not to sell. I've been researching and have been unable to find a value for this edition. Could you help me out some and possible send me a value for this edition? The cover is in good condition. The pages are in good condition. The pages have come loose from the spine, but are still attached together
Thank you for your time,
Cindi Fontenot

[Jessica Plochl]

I was given a Gibson Girl Calendar dated 1911 by my grandmother. It is 14"x 20.5" in size. The illustrations are titled "The Debutante", "Her Royal Highness", "The Day Dream", "A Daughter of the South", and one has a poem. Any idea if it is worth anything? I'm thinking of separating the calendar and having each page framed. Would love any info on this.

[Patricia Elenterio]

I have volume I and II of the Gibson Books a collection of the published works of Charles Dana Gibson. dated 1906 New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, R. H. Russel, can you let me know if they are worth anything.The binders are frayed but the pictures are in good condition. Thank you, Pat Elenterio

[Shirley Harding]

I have a book (45 cms x 30cms) entitled Eighty Drawings including The Weaker Sex, the Story of a susceptible Bachelor by C D Gibson. The prints are in perfect condition, but the binding is a bit worn. It is dated 1903. Is it of any value?

[Iris]

My mother-in-law recently past away and left an original Gibson Girl drawing. She also left a calendar of drawings done by Charles B. Gibson. All are in excellent shape...Where do we go to find out the value of these items..We had an appraiser look at these items and he agreed they are all originals; however, he wasn't sure of the value...he suggested about $3,000 or $4,000 each...where do we go now..or what do we do next? Thanks

[Deborah]

I just bought "The Weaker Sex" at an antique store for $9. It took me quite a while to locate information about it because it dos not have a title on it and the signature seems to read "Iva Smiths." I've asked a few other people to read the signature and they say the same. I could find no information with this name, and eventually found it by searching a description. Does anyone know why it would say this name?

[Bonnie]

Hi there i see that a few people say that they have the Gibson book's and are asking if they are worth anything but i don't see a responce to that question. I have a Gibson book 1, in ruff shape. I am an artist myself and if it is not worth anything then i am going to create some art with it. So Please let me know if they are worth anything......does anyone know?

[Ernest Ashurst]

This question is to David Dorsey of his post on July 3, 2007. I have a drawaing of a man in a suit, next to it says "After J.C.D. Oct.30, 1895." C.D. Gibson is signed three times at the bottom. I don't know why the three signatures, but I would like to see your "After" and the C. D. Gibson signature to compare it to mine.
I am trying to determine if I have an original or not. The ink is ink and not a copy. If any body has any indea of the After J.C.D., I would like the help.
Thanks. Ernie- landsman@myacc.net

[margaret stocker]

I have "Twelve New Gibson Girls, with red portfolio, original 1909 "drawings" CAn anyone tell me what they are worth?

[Jeanie Gibson Thompson]

I have two books - 11" x 17" with hard covers. The covers say "The Gibson Book". The covers are worn, but the pictures are in good shape. Each book is over 1" thick. Does anyone know if these are worth anything?

[Suzanne Finstad]

I am writing a biography of Charles Dana Gibson. Could anyone with Gibson originals or information about Gibson or his models please contact me? I'm also looking for "L" (Laura?), who blogged here on 9/8/2006 that she has 15 original Gibsons posed for by her great-aunt's aunt Cashy. Could "L" please contact me? Thanks, Suzanne. My email is SuzanneFi@aol.com

[ashley w]

people keep telling me these girls look like me.
its really cool.i finally looked up this info and found that they do. they have my face structure, nose and body shape.
i was very surprised....

just thought it was a bit interesting to share.

[ashley w]

people keep telling me these girls look like me.
its really cool.i finally looked up this info and found that they do. they have my face structure, nose and body shape.
i was very surprised....

just thought it was a bit interesting to share.

[David Dorsey]

I have an ink sketch of a gibson girl signed C.D. Gibson. The signature appears to be the same as others I have compared it too. Just before the signature is the word "after" which could be the title of the drawing or it could mean possibly,'copied' Could there have been two drawings, "before" and "after? The word "after"seems to be in an ink differant than the signature. How would I find out if this is an original? Thanks