No single image did more to launch the archetype of the "Gibson Man" than His beginning, a work that stands as a lesser-known counterpart to the famous "Gibson Girl" illustrations. While Charles Dana Gibson is celebrated for shaping the ideal of American femininity at the turn of the twentieth century, this piece offers a rare glimpse at his vision of masculinity, capturing the cultural imagination of an era on the cusp of modernity. The precise date and medium remain uncertain, leaving scholars to puzzle over whether it was a magazine illustration or a stand-alone drawing, but its impact on the visual language of American identity is undisputed. In His beginning, a young man—dapper, earnest, and slightly awkward—stands at the threshold of adulthood.

Gibson chooses the moment of first employment or perhaps the first day at college, as suggested by the character’s crisp attire and the watchful, slightly anxious gaze of his elders. The careful rendering of posture and expression reveals both pride and trepidation, while the surrounding figures—perhaps parents or mentors—anchor him in a world of expectation. The crisp linework, a hallmark of Gibson’s pen-and-ink style, gives the scene a clarity reminiscent of Howard Chandler Christy’s later depictions of American youth, though Gibson’s touch is subtler, more attuned to the inner life of his subject. The physical history of His beginning is largely undocumented, typical of many of Gibson’s works, which were often published in periodicals rather than exhibited in galleries.

It is likely that this image first appeared in a magazine such as Life or Collier’s, reaching a broad audience and shaping public taste. While the original drawing’s whereabouts are unknown, reproductions have circulated widely, ensuring its continued influence. Within Gibson’s career, His beginning stands as a testament to his ability to capture not just the look, but the aspirations and anxieties of a generation, cementing his legacy as a chronicler of American life.