An Antiquated Notion
This advertisement would likely knock the company out of business if it were released in the present day. During the 1940s and 1950s, this marketing tactic was wildly popular among executives, who we can safely presume were men. Many advertising efforts promoted the notion that women belonged in the kitchen, serving their guy, or examining advice on how to acquire and keep a man. Today, this message would elicit a backlash not only from women who are outraged but also from men who are irritated by the implication that they are incapable of taking care of themselves. We have come a very long way.
An Antiquated Notion
Picnic, Gil Style
This is one of the several illustrations created by Gil Elvgren. He was renowned not for his artistic masterpieces, but for his pin-up art. He could paint women in daily settings so that they appeared “inviting” Clearly, Elvgrens’ works would not have been acceptable today, as they were all created for men’s enjoyment. We do not know whether he ever regretted being recognized for this rather than his art, but what’s done is done.
Picnic, Gil Style
