The Winner 1957

Curator: This oil painting from 1957 is titled "The Winner" and was created by Gil Elvgren. It's a classic example of mid-century pin-up art. Editor: It feels mischievous! The colors are so vibrant, that orangey-yellow skirt practically hums, and she’s clearly up to something. You just know that apple’s not there by accident. Curator: Precisely. The composition emphasizes her playful nature. Note the meticulous rendering of textures – the sheerness of her blouse, the gloss on the apple, the delicate lines of the hosiery. These details all contribute to a heightened sense of realism. Editor: She's straddling this interesting line of overt sexuality and innocent fun; biting that apple but then trying to peek over at you from the side. It’s cheeky, and sort of liberating in a way. There's an intentional construction happening, as though she is posing on a stage. Curator: Agreed, there's a tension between candidness and contrivance. Semiotically, the apple itself is overloaded, representing everything from temptation and knowledge to feminine wiles. Editor: Absolutely! And the barrel of apples too. It has something biblical about it, a playful echo. You just wonder how staged or contrived the whole thing is. And those colors: this would look amazing in a Technicolor movie from the 50's! Curator: Indeed, it's indicative of its period—the embrace of post-war consumerism and a stylized vision of feminine beauty. The artist’s use of oil paints facilitates this illusion of flawless perfection and is carefully designed to highlight and enhance visual allure. Editor: You look at this, and think about who it was meant to entice and you are brought into an older American view of the idealized woman, where there are implications in the pose of submissiveness, but also knowing sex appeal. The woman here controls both these ideas by inviting the gaze but is never truly passive. Curator: Well, viewing this painting allows for multiple layers of readings on culture, painting tradition, and ideas around the objectification of women. Editor: It’s fun, it's clever, and yes, probably problematic when viewed today, but there is that mischievous spirit in those colors that continues to make it linger.