Thread: Norman Rockwell (1894-1978) was born on this day. He was one of America’s greatest & most popular artists. His importance as a modern artist is only now being recognised by the art establishment. His brilliance was in depicting authentic emotion
Born in NYC, he attended Chase Art School aged 14 & then the Natl Acad of Design & Art Students League. He submitted illustrations & had his first book illustration printed aged 18. His first serious job was working for the Boy Scouts’ ‘Boys’ Life’. Covers (1913-15)
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In 1916 he submitted his first cover for the Saturday Evening Post (SEP) (Mother’s Day Off). He did 323 covers over 47 years. A Daily Good Turn (1918) & SEP covers (1916-17)
His images of the Great War sought out humour & innocence in a time when these were most valued by a population at war. His use of humour undermines the pseudo-sophisticated criticism of his work as sentimental. Red Cross Magazine (1918), Judge Magazine (1918) & Life (1918)
The range of publications that Rockwell worked for was diverse, as was the level of preparation he made. The unfinished ration image shows the latter. Literary Digest (1919), The US Army Teaches a Trade (1919), Norman Rockwell visits a Ration Board (1919) & Popular Science (1920)
The success of his SEP covers led to others for more magazines at a time when weekly news magazines were widespread in the US. No Swimming (1921), Christmas (1922), And Daniel Boone Comes to Life (1923) & Home Coming (1924) & Sleeping Boy with Dog (1925)
In 1926 he created the first of 51 paintings for the Boy Scouts of America annual calendars. Woman Working on a Lamp (1926), First in His Class (1926), Santa Claus (1927) & Hayseed Critic (1928)
He moved around a good bit but much of his work reflected the concerns of small town life in NE US, particularly Arlington & Stockbridge. No Peeking (1929), Ladies’ Home Journal (1932), Grandpa & Rocking Horse (1933) & On Top of the World (1934)
Rockwell worked from local models & photographs, but despite this the irrepressibility of his character shines through. Out Fishing (1935), Ticket Seller (1937), Blank Canvas (1938) & He’s going to be taller than Dad (1939)
In WWI he was a de facto military artist. Boy with Melting Ice Cream (1940), Rosie the Riveter (1943), Blacksmith’s Boy (1940) & War Stories (1945). Rosie became for many the symbol of feminism & the Home Front & is his most famed creation.
1943 resulted in his most famous series of images - the 4 freedoms (FDR) - which appeared in the SEP. He considered the Speech painting the finest of the 4. These images of the freedoms from Speech, Want, Religion & Fear speak to us in a way that demonstrates Rockwell’s gift.
He was artist in residence at Otis College in the ‘40s with some of his students being co-opted into sitting for him! Road Block (1949), Which One? (1944), Disabled Veteran (1944) & the Homecoming (1945)
Framed (1946) is a superb piece of humour! Boy in Dining Car (1947) - note Rockwell was obliged by SEP to portray the African American as subservient yet imbued him with dignity. Christmas Homecoming (1948) & Curiosity Shop (1948)
The talent of Rockwell is his ability to engage his audience in the age old stories of life & capture with honesty old values & new ones. Before the Date (1949), Shuffleton’s Barbershop (1950), Saying Grace (1951) & the Kansas City Spirit (1951)
Rockwell approached the role of women with an avant-garde approach. His interest was driven by character & not gender when story-telling. Veterinarian (1952), Black Eye (1953), Rockwell Painting the Soda Jerk (1953) & Breaking Home Ties (1954)
Some might argue that his images are about a world of fantasy & not reality. However the germ of his art is to capture the imagination & inspire it. Art Critic (1955), The Discovery (1956), After the Prom (1957) & the Runaway (1958)
His wife, Mary, died in 1959 which hit him badly & he took stock by writing his (excellent) autobiography with his son. Go get it! His last SEP cover was in 1963. Holdout (1959), The Problem We All Live With (1963) & the Connoisseur (1962)
He moved to Look Magazine where he had greater freedom of expression & used it (The SEP only allowed African-Americans be depicted in subservient roles). Astronauts (1965), Murder in Mississippi (1965), New Kids in the Neighbourhood (1967) & the Right to Know (1968)
The role of African Americans in society was something he cared deeply about, just as he was keen to document the space race. Spring is in the Air (1969), Apollo 11 Space Team (1969), The Final Impossibility (1969) & The Collector (1971)
In 1977 he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Gerald Ford. From Concord to Tranquility (1973) & The Spirit of America (1974). Rockwell believed in a better world, a co-operative community, tolerance & a better tomorrow whilst maintaining the traditions of the past.
Rockwell died in 1978, aged 84. His work had an uncanny ability to capture the hopes, fears, dreams & wishes of his time as well as charting the folk history of America. Man on the Moon (1966), Girl at a Mirror (1954) & Triple Self-Portrait (1959)
The Norman Rockwell Museum holds 700 of his works. His work is still extremely popular & has influenced commercial cinematography in particular. Coming & Going (1947) & Statue of Liberty (1946). Few artists have charted the contemporary society of his time with such genius.
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