Jose C. Rivera de Cosme
Guest
Doing research on Dorothy Gibson. It is stated on page 56 of the book "Woman and Children First" that she was a model for Harrison Fisher. The illustration on the page is of her By Harrison Fisher. Is this true?
Dorothy Gibson Harrison Fisher Girl
- Thread starter Jose C. Rivera de Cosme
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Mike Herbold
Member
Jose:
The fact that she was a model for Fisher and became famous as the original "Harrison Fisher Girl" is corroborated by John Eaton ("Voyage" #8, June 1991, page 157) and Simon Mills ("The Titanic in Pictures," page 18). The one photograph of her with small flowers in her hair that seems to show up in every book or article about her, and was used on the 1912 movie poster is apparently from the December 2, 1911 "Billboard," according to an article by Frank Thompson ("Commutator," v. 21, #3, 11-97--1-98, page 12). I don't know how you would verify the sketch shown in Geller's book as being of her -- maybe there's a book on Harrison Fisher around.
Hope this helps a bit.
Mike
The fact that she was a model for Fisher and became famous as the original "Harrison Fisher Girl" is corroborated by John Eaton ("Voyage" #8, June 1991, page 157) and Simon Mills ("The Titanic in Pictures," page 18). The one photograph of her with small flowers in her hair that seems to show up in every book or article about her, and was used on the 1912 movie poster is apparently from the December 2, 1911 "Billboard," according to an article by Frank Thompson ("Commutator," v. 21, #3, 11-97--1-98, page 12). I don't know how you would verify the sketch shown in Geller's book as being of her -- maybe there's a book on Harrison Fisher around.
Hope this helps a bit.
Mike
Jose C. Rivera de Cosme
Guest
Thanks!! A while back I e mailed a person who is supposed to be an expert on Harrison fisher. She said she has never heard of her. I wonder where Judith Gelller (Titanic: Woman and Children First) got her information? That would solve the mystery. Do you know how I can e mail Ms. Geller? I have seen the negative for the picture you are talking about, the one with the flowers, in an archive in New York City.
Mike Herbold
Member
Jose:
The publisher, W.W. Norton has a website (wwnorton.com). They won't give out author addresses, but they give you instructions on how to mail something to them. Contact them at wwnorton.com/contact.htm
Mike
The publisher, W.W. Norton has a website (wwnorton.com). They won't give out author addresses, but they give you instructions on how to mail something to them. Contact them at wwnorton.com/contact.htm
Mike
Steve Bottomore
Guest
I have looked at several of the books of illustrations by Harrison Fisher, and many of his pictures are of a dark-haired, dark-eyed girl, who could well be Dorothy Gibson.
Jose C. Rivera de Cosme
Guest
Thanks Mike for the e mail!! Steve, you are right but they all seem to look alike!!
Randy Bryan Bigham
Member
Here is one of the few recognizable illustrations of Dorothy Gibson by Harrison Fisher that I've been able to find:
Michael H. Standart
Member
Definately looks better then the photo of her in later years that Phil Gowan posted.
Cordially,
Michael H. Standart
Cordially,
Michael H. Standart
Randy Bryan Bigham
Member
This looks to be a companion picture to the one of Dorothy featured in the Geller book, Women and Children First. Here Miss Dot is dressed for a grande opera. The date is 1909, so she'd have been 19 or 20.
Daniel Klistorner
Member
She looks beautiful! She doesn't even look this good on c.1912 photos! DK
Andrew Maheux
Member
http://www.execpc.com/~reva/gibson.htm
http://www.execpc.com/~reva/movpost.htm
(Message edited by Joseph on April 5, 2002)
http://www.execpc.com/~reva/movpost.htm
(Message edited by Joseph on April 5, 2002)
Andrew Maheux
Member
Randy Bryan Bigham
Member
I've been doing a bit of research into Harrison Fisher's illustrations of Dorothy. Actually I did this a while ago but haven't had the time to share it here. I will post more thoroughly when I have my notes with me and can give some documentation.
But just very quickly, the image in the book by Judith Geller and the one I posted above, thinking it was a "companion piece," are apparently NOT of Dorothy Gibson but of an earlier model of Fisher's whom Dorothy replaced.
The first image I posted on this thread, however, is an authentic likeness of Dorothy, dating to 1910, the year apparently that she started posing for Fisher. This particular picture, entitled "Mary," was widely distributed as a print and as a postcard and appeared in at least one of Fisher's elaborate (and now prohibitively expensive) art books; again I haven't my notes with me but I will get the exact title. The picture was also featured on the cover of the "Saturday Evening Post" for April 8, 1911.
Here is another, slightly more vague, copy of this popular picture:
Another well-known image of Dorothy (in the annals of Harrison Fisher history) is the illustration entitled "Bows Attract Beaux" - also dating to 1910-11. I will post that next.
But just very quickly, the image in the book by Judith Geller and the one I posted above, thinking it was a "companion piece," are apparently NOT of Dorothy Gibson but of an earlier model of Fisher's whom Dorothy replaced.
The first image I posted on this thread, however, is an authentic likeness of Dorothy, dating to 1910, the year apparently that she started posing for Fisher. This particular picture, entitled "Mary," was widely distributed as a print and as a postcard and appeared in at least one of Fisher's elaborate (and now prohibitively expensive) art books; again I haven't my notes with me but I will get the exact title. The picture was also featured on the cover of the "Saturday Evening Post" for April 8, 1911.
Here is another, slightly more vague, copy of this popular picture:
Another well-known image of Dorothy (in the annals of Harrison Fisher history) is the illustration entitled "Bows Attract Beaux" - also dating to 1910-11. I will post that next.
