Born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, Charles Dana Gibson attended the Art Students League in New York, studying with Thomas Eakins and Kenyon Cox. Hugely successful at the turn of the century, he left New York from 1905 to 1907 to study painting in France, Spain, and Italy.Gibson's name is still remembered for its association with the icon he created, the "Gibson Girl." This idealised, refined upper-middle-class woman became so popular that she was featured in stage plays, and her image was printed on a variety of domestic objects. The highest-paid illustrator of his time, in 1904 Gibson accepted a contract from Collier's Weekly, which paid him $100,000 for one hundred illustrations over four years. Gibson's illustrations gently satirised public life and mores. During World War I, as president of the Society of Illustrators, Gibson formed and became head of the Division of Pictorial Publicity under the Federal Committee of Public Information. Through this program, prominent illustrators were recruited to design posters, billboards, and other publicity for the war effort. His involvement with publicity during the war led Gibson to become owner and editor of Life, a New York-based magazine filled with short articles and illustrations. In the early 1930s Gibson retired in order to devote more time to painting.
For more information about Charles Dana Gibson see part 1, and for earlier works see parts 1 - 3 also.
This is part 4 of a 12-part series on the works of Charles Dana Gibson:
![]() |
1900 U. Four.
Harvard Lampoon |
![]() |
1900 Wasting Time.
Life Publishing Co. |
![]() |
1900-01c Untitled
(Gibson Girl) |
![]() |
1900-01c Untitled
(Sad Woman) |
![]() |
| 1900c "The only pebble on the beach" |
![]() |
1900c A widow and her friends. II.
"She decides to die in spite of Dr. Bottles"
pen and ink
Library of Congress, Washington, DC |
![]() |
1900c Picturesque America, anywhere in the mountains.
pen and ink over graphite 59 x 74 cm ( sheet )
Library of Congress, Washington, DC |
![]() |
| 1900c Rival Beauties |
![]() |
1900c Untitled
pen and ink on paper |
![]() |
1901 A Disposition
Life Publishing Co. |
1901 A Widow and her Friends:
![]() |
1901 A Widow and her Friends
Front Cover |
![]() |
| 1901 A Widow and her Friends |
![]() |
| 1901 A Widow and her Friends |
![]() |
A Widow and her Friends
She decides to die in spite of Dr. Bottles. |
![]() |
| A Widow and her Friends |
![]() |
| A Widow and her Friends |
![]() |
| A Widow and her Friends |
![]() |
1901 A Widow and her Friends
She finds some consolation in her mirror. |
![]() |
| 1901 A Widow and her Friends |
![]() |
| 1901 A Widow and her Friends |
![]() |
1901 A Widow and her Friends
A message from the outside world. |
![]() |
| 1901 A Widow and her Friends |
![]() |
1901 A Widow and her Friends
Some think that she has remained in retirement too long. Others are surprised that she is about so soon. |
![]() |
| 1901 A Widow and her Friends |
![]() |
| 1901 A Widow and her Friends |
![]() |
| 1901 A Widow and her Friends |
![]() |
| 1901 A Widow and her Friends |
![]() |
| 1901 A Widow and her Friends |
![]() |
| 1901 A Widow and her Friends |
![]() |
| 1901 A Widow and her Friends |
![]() |
| 1901 A Widow and her Friends |
![]() |
| 1901 A Widow and her Friends |
![]() |
| 1901 A Widow and her Friends |
![]() |
| 1901 A Widow and her Friends |
![]() |
1901 A Widow and her Friends
She goes to the Fancy Dress Ball as "Juliet." |
![]() |
| 1901 A Widow and her Friends |
![]() |
| 1901 A Widow and her Friends |
![]() |
1901 A Widow and her Friends
The Expert: What makes you think she has one? I can hear nothing. |
![]() |
1901 A Widow and her Friends
Stepped on. |
![]() |
1901 A Widow and her Friends
Sure to be.
She: I am so anxious to have these theatricals a success. If the members are only enthusiastic. It will be.
He: Have no fear. Every man in it is to make love to another man's wife. |
![]() |
1901 A Widow and her Friends
A word in private. If you are dull yourselves, don't have your dinner too long. |
![]() |
1901 A Widow and her Friends
Les Fiancés.
She We are too poor to marry.
"But I am worth a million, bah jove!"
"True. but if you were worth two millions, we would be so much better off than those who have only one." |
![]() |
1901 A Widow and her Friends
Everything in the world that money can buy. |
![]() |
1901 A Widow and her Friends
A warning to wives. Mrs. Rounders kept her husband up late one too often.
He is now taking his ease in a Sanitarium. |
![]() |
1901 A Widow and her Friends
Easter Morning.
From the susceptible person's point of view. |
![]() |
1901 A Widow and her Friends
Love's Express. |
![]() |
1901 A Widow and her Friends
Embarrassing for little Hopkins, who thought she meant it for him. |
![]() |
1901 A Widow and her Friends
Love in a garden. |
![]() |
1901 A Widow and her Friends
The Bride's Health. |
![]() |
1901 A Widow and her Friends
The Dog: Here he has been hanging around us for a month, and we leave to-night. |
![]() |
1901 A Widow and her Friends
"Oh he's horrid! I can't bear to look at him."
"But something might be made of him."
"No, he listens with his mouth open." |
![]() |
1901 A Widow and her Friends
Social Debts.
As the last guest goes - thank heaven! |
![]() |
1901 A Widow and her Friends
Who cares? |
![]() |
| 1901 A Widow and her Friends |
![]() |
1901 A Widow and her Friends
Here it is Christmas and they began saying goodbye in August. |
