Gibson Girl c. 1893 - 1914

Here we have Charles Dana Gibson's "Gibson Girl," an undated drawing made with what looks like ink on paper. The marks are economical, almost diagrammatic, but they coalesce to create a recognizable and iconic figure. Looking at the skirt, I see how the lines start to suggest folds and volume. It's not about photorealism. It's more like he’s giving us just enough information for our brains to fill in the blanks. I think that's so generous, right? Like he’s inviting us to meet him halfway, to co-create this image in our own minds. I love the way the hat is just a flurry of strokes, a dark cloud perched on her head. It's almost abstract, a pure expression of form and texture. He's doing his own version of what Manet was doing in paint, capturing the essence of a thing, rather than a detailed description. Art is about suggestion, not completion.