Skirts Ahoy by Gil Elvgren

Seaside scenes offered ideal opportunities to stage unexpected and seductive situations for illustrated magazines. The famous painting “Skirts Ahoy” fits into this playful and seaside vein highly popular with the public. The American creator Gil Elvgren depicts a modern heroine whose feigned surprise amuses the viewer. This illustration celebrates a carefree vision of travel and relaxation, typical of this popular art.

Seated on a wooden deck chair with a red mattress, a brunette with blue eyes displays a feigned expression of astonishment. She wears an elegant white sailor hat and a navy blue romper with a red and white striped neckline. Her white skirt is lifted over her knees, revealing long shapely legs clad in fine black stockings held by very visible dark garters. Her delicate feet are shod in white stiletto heels. In the background, a large white ship ventilator and a newspaper scattered on the deck complete this sea travel setting under a summer light.

We particularly admire the precision of the limb drawing and the superb management of light on the various textures. The realistic rendering of the wood varnish and the fineness of the stockings bear witness to an exceptional talent as a modern pin-up painter.