drib 209 Peter Driben

The composition presents a group of four women arranged in a vertical format, their bodies angled towards the viewer. The artist has employed a stylized aesthetic characteristic of commercial art from the mid-20th century. Each woman is depicted with exaggerated features – large eyes, full lips, and carefully sculpted hair – typical of pin-up imagery intended to appeal to a male audience. Their poses are suggestive, emphasizing their legs and upper bodies in a manner designed to be alluring.
The color palette is dominated by warm tones: reds, oranges, and yellows, contrasted with cooler greens and blues used for the figure furthest to the right. The background appears as a textured white surface, providing visual contrast against the figures’ skin tones and clothing. A bold, diagonal band of red text cuts across the composition, partially obscuring the central figure and drawing attention to the words Annual and Silk Stocking. This textual element serves as an overt advertisement, directly linking the images content with a product.
The women are dressed in varying styles of evening wear. The foremost woman is draped in a red fabric that reveals considerable cleavage and emphasizes her legs through the visible garter belt and stockings. The subsequent figures are progressively less revealing, culminating in a woman wearing a green dress and heels. This progression suggests a hierarchy or spectrum of desirability within the context of the advertisement’s intended message.
Subtly embedded within this seemingly straightforward promotional piece are layers of cultural commentary. Here we see an idealized representation of femininity prevalent during the era – a blend of sophistication, glamour, and overt sexuality. The emphasis on legs and stockings reinforces the importance of fashion and appearance in defining female identity. The image also reflects a broader societal context where women were often objectified and portrayed as objects of desire within commercial advertising. The inclusion of the date Winter 1938 and price (25¢) anchors the work firmly within its historical moment, offering insight into consumer culture and marketing strategies of that period.