Charles Allan Gilbert | |
|---|---|
 Silhouette self-portrait of C. Allan Gilbert published in 1916 | |
| Born | September 3, 1873 Hartford, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Died | April 20, 1929 (aged 55) New York, U.S. |
| Education | Art Students League of New York |
| Known for | Illustration, animation, camouflage art |
| Notable work | All Is Vanity (1892) |
 | This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (July 2024) |
Charles Allan Gilbert (September 3, 1873 – April 20, 1929), better known as C. Allan Gilbert, was an American illustrator. He is especially remembered for a widely published drawing (a memento mori or vanitas) titled All Is Vanity. The drawing employs a double image (or visual pun) in which the scene of a woman admiring herself in a mirror of her vanity table, when viewed from a distance, appears to be a human skull. The title is also a pun, as this type of dressing-table is also known as a vanity. The phrase "All is vanity" comes from Ecclesiastes 1:2 ("Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.")[1] It refers to the vanity and pride of humans. In art, vanity has long been represented as a woman preoccupied with her beauty. And art that contains a human skull as a focal point is called a memento mori (Latin for "remember death"), a work that reminds people of their mortality.
It is less widely known that Gilbert was an early contributor to animation, and a camouflage artist (or camoufleur) for the U.S. Shipping Board during World War I.
- ^ "Ecclesiastes 1:2". Bible Gateway.