In the 1950s abstract expressionism was in full flower.
American magazine illustrations, on the other hand, remained fairly tight and realistic. Yet, these representational illustrations often contained abstract flurries of brush strokes and color, frequently in the tousled hair of stylish women.
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| Andy Virgil |
Compare Coby Whitmore's treatment of hair...
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| Coby Whitmore |
...with Willem de Kooning's abstraction:
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| de Kooning |
In fact, flipping through the typical illustrations in women's magazines in the 1950s and 60s is like visiting a museum of abstract art:
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| Joe de Mers |
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| Virgil |
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| Whitmore |
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| Joe Bowler |
The prevailing style, across a variety of illustrators, was that skin and facial features remained sharply realistic but illustrators enjoyed an almost unlimited license for the treatment of hair.
These artists were perfectly comfortable with the same abstract values that were the pride and joy of the abstract expressionists. Illustrator Robert Fawcett wrote that he was amused by the "misconception that abstract qualities are new to contemporary painting, whereas they have been the comparison of excellence since painting began."
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| Whitmore |
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| Walter Skor |
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| Whitmore |
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| de Mers |
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| de Mers |
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| Stan Klimley |
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| Al Parker |
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| de Mers |
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| Whitmore |
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