wge2-009 Gil Elvgren (1914-1980)

The composition presents a young woman in a playful and somewhat startled pose within a dense environment of foliage. She is partially clad in what appears to be a bathing suit – a brief bottom and a matching bandeau top – and her skin tone suggests a fair complexion. Her hair, styled in short curls, frames a face expressing surprise or mild fright; one finger is raised towards her temple as if indicating sudden shock.
The setting is dominated by an abundance of leaves and branches, rendered with a degree of realism that contrasts with the idealized depiction of the woman. The lighting is uneven, creating areas of deep shadow and highlighting certain portions of her body and the surrounding foliage. This selective illumination contributes to a sense of drama and emphasizes the figures vulnerability within the natural setting.
A significant element of the work is the text overlayed at the bottom: He almost scared me out of my skin. This caption introduces an implied narrative, suggesting that the woman’s startled expression stems from a sudden encounter with an unseen presence – likely male – within this environment. The phrase itself evokes a sense of playful exaggeration and hints at a potentially humorous or lighthearted situation despite the initial fright.
The overall effect is one of staged spontaneity. While the womans pose and facial expression suggest surprise, the carefully arranged foliage and lighting indicate a deliberate construction of the scene. This juxtaposition creates an intriguing tension between realism and artifice, characteristic of certain commercial imagery from the mid-20th century. The work seems to aim for a balance between appealing to notions of feminine beauty and incorporating elements of narrative intrigue and humor.