Pulling for victory
Edward Penfield’s Every Girl Pulling for Victory belongs to the 1918 United War Work Campaign. The Library of Congress identifies the artist and date and describes the young woman rowing a boat named Victory. The Met also holds the design under the title Victory Girls.
The activity supplies the metaphor. Pulling an oar moves a boat forward; participation in the campaign is presented as helping a shared cause advance. The figure is active and purposeful, rather than simply waiting for someone to return from service.
An appeal outside the battlefield
The sparse background keeps attention on the rower, the boat and the title. Blue water and strong dark outlines give the scene clarity without the drama of explosions or weapons. The result is an invitation to contribute through organised civilian effort.
Compare it with later posters of women in factories or naval uniform. Each design makes a different kind of participation visible. This one belongs to the First World War’s civilian support campaigns; it should not be captioned as a Second World War factory recruitment image.