Cos 005 Gil Elvgren Smoke Screen Gil Elvgren (1914-1980)

Here we observe a scene depicting a woman engaged in outdoor cooking. The composition is dominated by a barbecue grill emitting thick plumes of smoke, which serve as a visual barrier and contribute significantly to the overall atmosphere. A young woman stands near the grill, holding a fork with what appears to be grilled food on it. She is dressed in a patterned sundress, revealing stockings beneath, and her posture suggests both attentiveness to the cooking process and a degree of playful self-awareness.
The artist has employed a vibrant color palette, with the yellow-green background creating a sense of warmth and summer leisure. The foliage visible at the top left corner introduces an element of natural setting, though it is somewhat stylized and flattened. The woman’s pose – a slight turn away from the viewer combined with direct eye contact – creates a dynamic interplay between invitation and distance.
Subtleties within the image suggest a commentary on gender roles and domesticity during the mid-20th century. While she is performing a traditionally masculine task (operating a barbecue), her attire and pose maintain an emphasis on feminine appeal. The billowing fabric of her dress, caught by the smoke’s movement, adds to this sense of playful presentation. The smoke itself can be interpreted as both a literal element of the scene and a metaphorical screen, obscuring or hinting at deeper meanings related to desire, concealment, and perhaps even a subtle critique of idealized domesticity.
The overall effect is one of carefully constructed artifice – a staged moment designed to evoke a specific mood and convey certain cultural values. The artist’s signature in the lower right corner reinforces the sense that this is a deliberate creation intended for aesthetic appreciation and consumption.