A Lot at Steak 1955

Gil Elvgren made "A Lot at Steak" as a pin-up, with oil paint. The scene is rendered in thin, translucent layers, except for the white dress, which seems to have been applied more thickly. The green background has scrubby brush marks, like a ground, or atmosphere, for this funny subject. The dress looks like a quickly painted sketch, with soft shadows, thin fabric and delicate ties around the shoulders. The meat is the conceptual heart of this painting. It's also the visual heart, sitting there on the fork, a symbol of what we're all really after: a little pleasure. Elvgren painted a lot of these, and I always find myself thinking about other narrative painters like John Currin, who similarly use humor, and realism to give the viewer a little wink. There are a lot of ways of thinking, and seeing, and, thankfully, art can hold a few different ideas at once.