CHARLES DANA GIBSON

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 190, 8 May 1937, Page 7 (Supplement)

CHARLES DANA GIBSON

Creator of “The Gibson Girl” “Portrait of an Era” as drawn by Charles Dana Gibson, by Fairfax Downey (London: Scribner’s). Not very much is heard nowadays of Charles Dana Gibson, but lie is still alive and from the closing years of last century until the end of the War he was a very well-known figure in his own sphere of art, and a man whose fame as a cartoonist reached far beyond the shores of his native America. In a foreword to his aptly-named biography Mr. Downey acknowledges the dangers an author runs in writing of a living man, whose work cannot be seen in the truer perspective that a greater lapse of time usually gives, but he feels that the judgment of the future concerning Gibson's work may accurately be estimated to-day. There is the additional advantage, also, that Mr. Downey bad the benellt of the generous help of Gibson himself in Ihe collection of material for Ihe bool:. From this book Charles Dana Gibson emerges as a sterling and likeable character, one so tempered in the school of early adversity that, when fame and admiration later were bis, he wore bis honours witli a tine modesty, was always approachable and always ready to lend a helping band to a fellow man in need. His character is, perhaps, best illustrated by the fact that, when at the height, of his lame as an pen-and-ink artist, and when his sketches and cartoons found a ready market at highly profitable rates, he felt that the work he was doing did not entirely satisfy his creative ambitions and publicly announced that. he was going to devote his attention to painting. Ho set out to be a learner in a new form of art, but a stock' marker crash made if necessary for him Io turn back again to the pen-and-ink medium to restore bis hard-bit bank balance.' Yet, that task accomplished, he turned again to painting when he was well past middle age and bad the satisfaction of achieving quite a measure of success. Gibson first showed artistic promise as a boy by being able to cut from paper all sorts of complicated figures. Later he was: apprenticed to a sculptor, but found ho had no taste for working in stone. Then lie turned his attention to drawing. Success came only after many disappointments. but finally there began an association with the magazine “Life” which lasted over a long period of years. Gradually Gibson’s drawings became more and more well-known, until the time came when the creator of the famous “Gibson Girl” was almost setting the fashion for men’s and women's apparel. It is claimed that he was largely responsible for the disappearance of moustaches from the young gallants of the time. His “Gibson Girl” was such a lovely creature that she drew forth additional respect for woman, and. it is said, brought about a reflorescence of the virtues of chivalry in the men of the United States. With his tolerance for human foibles and his deep understanding of human nature, he has left in his drawing a complete picture of the social scene of the time. He was not primarily a propagandist, but in certain causes he used his pen with telling effect, and when the War came he headed the band of artists who offered their services to the American Government for propaganda work. Before (his his cartoons had lent their influence toward persuading Uncle Sam io declare war on Germany. Mr. Downey leaves an impression of a wholly likeable man. The book is profusely illustrated with Gibson drawings, through which it is possible to trace the sure development of the artist's skill.