Girl Riding her Bicycle, Coca-Cola advertisement 1944

This is an advertisement created by Haddon Sundblom for Coca-Cola, and while the date is not know, it was more than likely painted in oils. It shows the process of commercial illustration, a staged reality. The paint handling here is interesting; the blending is so smooth, it almost anticipates the seamlessness of digital art. Look at the way the light hits her shirt, those soft, hazy strokes. It’s all about creating a mood, a feeling of fresh-faced, all-American wholesomeness. You could almost call it romantic! And then there's the bike—that robin's egg blue pops so nicely. The way Sundblom handles color feels very strategic. The Coca-Cola bottles, rendered so luscious, feel like little gems nestled in that basket. This makes me think of Norman Rockwell but with a glossy, commercial edge. Sundblom, like Rockwell, created images that were not just seen, but lived with and loved, a part of the American cultural landscape.