This is a large preliminary charcoal drawing by Gil Elvgren that was an alternative suggestion for a mid-1950s speciality advertising calendar for Brown & Bigelow’s exclusive “Miss Sylvania” line for Sylvania electric. The Miss Sylvania account adapted The Great American Pin-up to middle America’s buttoned up sensibilities. Each year one of the calendar company’s star artists would create a wholesome yet alluring “Miss Sylvania” exclusively for this prestigious advertising campaign.

For this year, the subject was a glamorous Hollywood style showgirl dancer readying herself for her big moment. Poised on a director’s chair which bears the name of the campaign and holding a vanity mirror, this is a close “alternate” pose to the final image. Note, as this was a preliminary sketch, the back of the chair reads “Miss Slyvania” with the Y and L transposed. It is signed lower right, matted and framed and ready to hang.