The Real Betty Crocker May Never Have Existed, but She Still Became a Symbol for American Women
"Created as a customer service tool 100 years ago, the fictional character marks the evolution of domesticity in the United States”
Though she celebrates her 100th birthday this year, Betty Crocker was never born. Nor does she ever really age. When her face did change over the past century, it was because it had been reinterpreted by artists and shaped by algorithms.
Betty’s most recent official portrait – painted in 1996 to celebrate her 75th birthday – was inspired by a composite photograph, itself based on photographs of 75 real women reflecting the spirit of Betty Crocker and the changing demographics of America. In it, she doesn’t look a day over 40.
Nevertheless, women often wrote to Betty Crocker and saved the letters they received in return. Many of them debated whether or not she was, in fact, a real person. In my academic research on cookbooks, I focus primarily on the way cookbook authors, mostly women, have used the cookbook as a space to explore politics and aesthetics while fostering a sense of community among readers.
very interesting full article, with links to photos, at:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/betty-crocker-turns-100-180979049/
The first portrait of Betty Crocker was achieved by combining features of female employees working for General Mills at the time the portrait was commissioned.
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