First created 14 Jan 2016. Version 1.0 - 28 Apr 2016. Jerry Tse. London.

Norman Rockwell

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The Greatest US painter in 20C

Norman Rockwell is the most popular 20C painter in the US. His works reflected the changes in American culture in his life-time.

He is best-known for covers of The Saturday Evening Post. He painted well into the 70s, before his death in 1978.

Norman Rockwell(1894-1978)

“I showed the America I know and observed to others, who might not have noticed.” Norman Rockwell.

An example of his early work on the cover of St. Nicholas Magazine.

St Nicholas Magazine

Born on 1 Feb 1894 in New York city, with ancestry dating back to the first European settlers in America, in 1635. He became an art student at 14. His early works were produced for St Nicholas Magazine and Scouts of America’s magazine Boys’ Life.

During WW I tried to enlist in the Navy without success, as he was reject being underweight

Commercial success at an early age

Success came very early, at age :-

16 (1910) First commission to paint 4 Christmas cards for Mrs Arnold Constable.

17 (1911) First book illustration on ‘Tell Me Why Stories’.

19 (1913) Art Director of Boy’s Life, the American Scout magazine.

22 (1916) He did his first cover on Saturday Evening Post. American most popular magazine at the time.

Norman Rockwell spent three years, as an illustrator on the Boy’s Life magazine between 1913-1916. He painted several covers of the magazine and some 200 illustrations. This was the beginning of his life-time association with the Boy Scout movement of America.

Boy’s Life (1913-1916)

In this 1919 painting, Rockwell told the story about William D Boyce’s visit to London in 1909. He was help by an English scout, who help him to find a certain business office. He was so impressed by the scout that he met Robert Baden-Powell, who was the founder of the Boy Scout movement. Eventually, William D Boyce became the founder of Boy Scouts of America.

Scout’s Movement

1926 produced his first 51 original illustrations for the official Boy Scouts of America annual calendar..

A 1963 painting by Rockwell drumming on the virtue of the global family of the scout movement.

He was also a campaigner for other causes, propagating ideals he thought should be cherished.

In 1974, at the age of 80, he announced that his 1976 Scout calendar painting would be his last. It was his final salute to the Boy Scouts of America.

Scout’s Movement

The Saturday Evening Post

(1916-1963)

The first Norman Rockwell cover on The Saturday Evening Post 20 May 1916.

Rockwell’s family moved to New Rochelle, New York at 21 and shared a studio with cartoonist Clyde Forsyth, who worked for The Saturday Evening Post. He painted his first cover on the Post in 1916. Rockwell success of the POST led to covers for other magazines, notably the Life magazine.

The Saturday Evening Post

(1916-1963)

The Last Norman Rockwell cover on The Saturday Evening Post appeared on the 14 December 1963, one week after the assassination of President JF Kennedy. The same portrait was first appeared on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post on 29 Oct 1960

Rockwell created a total of 322 magazine covers for The Saturday Evening Post, which was the most widely read American magazine of its time.

He spent the next ten years paintings for the LOOK magazine, where he depicted his interests in civil rights, poverty and space exploration.

Development of wireless 1919

Rockwell had a very long professional life. He covered the development of wireless, radio broadcast, television, pioneering flight, air travel, developing space program to man’s landing on the Moon.

Characterization

Rockwell did not just paint image of people but he created characters. One of his skill was the characterization of his subject.

In this painting ‘Man Threading a Needle”, you can tell that age is catching up with him. He is losing his hair and need to wear a pair of reading glasses. From his shirt sleeves strap, you can deduce his is working in an office. He is also a thrifty man, as hinted by the chair without a back and the mending of a hole in his sock. He also has a cat and he also has a pipe. There are simple a wealth of details to explore.

The Arrival of Broadcasting in

1922

Few artists had painted or worked on so many different subjects and themes as Rockwell did, from portraiture, book illustrations, technological progress, social changes, current affairs, war, Christmas, genre and also reached so many people as he did.

Recurring Theme Christmas

Rockwell also did a number of recurring themes like Christmas, Thanksgiving, embarrassments, humiliations, the growing up youngsters, the old-fashioned patriotism and period stories, often in humourous situation etc.

The First flight across the Atlantic 1927

Lindbergh was an American hero, who flew across the Atlantic from New York to Paris. Rockwell saw him as a pioneer, like that of Christopher Columbus and pioneers opening the American west. They were represented by the sailing ship and the wagon on the poster.

Skill of Observation

Rockwell has a tremendous power of observation. Often he used a camera to help him. Note, the aging face and hands of the flagpole painter. He used the same face in several of his paintings for adverts. The moustache reminds me of the 19C German writer Nietzsche.

Hollywood movie making in 1930s

Gary Cooper was the tough cowboy in the movie. In this painting he was painted by a makeup artist, with blushing powder and lipstick. In the day of the black and white movie, lipstick and powder were used to highlight the facial features of actors and actresses.

Recurring Character Santa Claus

One of Rockwell recurring favourite character was Santa Claus. Others are dogs, circus people, boy scouts, the courting couples etc..

Illustration of Children’s classics in mid-1930s.

Rockwell’s style was changing too. He experimented with modern art approach. He even left his idealised world and painted the dark world of a dead gangster (but the painting has since lost). He travelled to Europe. In 1935, he began to regain his confidence and painted some of his finest works. He also took on illustrations, including the well-known children classics of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.

Norman Rockwell’s first marriage with Irene O’Connor ended in divorce in 1930. Rockwell. lived in a number of places afterward. Later in the year he married Mary Barslow.

Air travel 1938

Just 11 years after Lindbergh trans-Atlantic flight. Rockwell painted the arrival of commercial flight, to allow speedy travel for very long distance in comfort.

Experiment with painting style

This cover painting showed how Norman Rockwell experimented with an almost cartoon style, like the woman on the right.

Inspired by Michelangelo

Rockwell was inspired by the great masters. He paid his tribute to Michelangelo in his painting Rosie the Riveter 1943, as the same time war efforts by women working in industries during WW II.

Freedom from Want

In 1943 Rockwell painted a series of four paintings in 7 months, based on President Franklin D Roosevelt’s speech on the four freedoms, in which Roosevelt identified as essential human rights. Later these paintings were used to raise $132 million of war bonds.

“He [Rockwell] has created an enduring niche in the social fabric with Freedom from Want, emblematic of what is now known as the Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving“, Wikipedia, Four Freedoms (Norman Rockwell), April 2016.

Freedom of Speech

The speaker was in fact a real person (Carl Hess), who was a blue collar worker at a gas station in town. The painting was inspired by someone who spoke in the town’s meeting that everyone else disagreed with. His right to speak was respected. Rockwell chose this painting, because it elevated the speaker above from the crowd.

Freedom from Fear

This painting was the inspiration for the scene in the film Empire of the Sun, when the young boy was put to bed by his parent.

Freedom of Worship

The Four Freedoms paintings were a turning point in his career, as his works began to be seen by a much wider public. The printings were displayed in post offices, schools, clubs, railroad stations and a variety of public and semi-public buildings. These paintings are the best known of his works

“People somehow get out of your work just about what you put into it, and if you are interested in the characters that you draw, and understand them and love them, why, the person who sees your picture is bound to feel the same way.” Norman Rockwell.

Connecting with People

Maybe, this is why, he painted people full of characters.

Working with drawing.

Often Rockwell started with a drawing before the painting. He explored the postures of the figures, all in great details and the settings. Using his drawing he solved as many problems and made as many decisions as could, before he concentrated on the colour and texture.

He did the above drawing for 1945 Thanksgiving, after WW II. He rejected and the drawing and opted for a different approach. It is very interesting to compare the differences with the two images, their postures, their dress, their expressions and what they were doing etc.

Telling story with details

Painted in 1945 showing a young man return home after the war. This is an example of how Rockwell’s keen observation to details is used to tell a story.

His name and rank on the bag

Wing showing he was a flyer and served with distinction, receiving the air medal twice.

Misfit clothing showing, the time he was away, leaving as a boy and returned as a war hero.

Books, banner, plane showing his interests and what he did before joining the war.

A fishing rod. The room was left as it was before he went to war, by his parent.

Rockwell often used camera to help him to record details and for exploring composition. Sometime a few dozens of photos were used for a single painting. Here he modelled the pose for a misfit jacket.

Using Camera

Development of suburbia - 1946

A morning view of the developing suburbia, with commuters waiting for the trains to take them into the larger cities, in 1940s.

This painting put the country press and the editor at the centre of the community. The office of the country press cannot be busier, with people come and go, reading newspaper, waiting and talking, as Rockwell coming with his portfolio of paintings. The staff are working hard to get the next issue out. The painting is part of a series featuring Rockwell visiting everyday places like the doctor’s office and the local school.

Press Freedom, a centre of our community - 1946

Story Telling

A new different format to convey a different story of how gossips get around. The expressions on all the faces provided laughter. He did a couple of paintings in this format.

The arrival of television - 1949

In time, he painted the next major change in people’s live on the arrival television broadcasting.

One of the joy of looking at a Rockwell’s paintings is to examine the details. The amount of details and furnishing in this 1950s barber shop was preserved accurately for anyone who wants to find out life in a barber shop in America, in the 50s.

Changing 50s with accuracy of

details

Accuracy of Expression

Rockwell not only be able to paint with accuracy of likeness. One of his hallmark is his accuracy on people’s expressions on their faces.

Look at the expression of the small boy’s face as he announced his arrival in Christmas.

This painting depicted the changing social norms of 1950s. The two young men obviously had never ‘Saying Grace’ before.

Changing 50s

The young man with his back to the window is Rockwell’s eldest son, Jerry. The others were modelled by people Rockwell knew.

It was painted during the Korean War and China has a Communist government. The major powers were busily testing their nuclear weapons and preparing for the next world war. Thus ‘Saying Grace’ seems to be appropriate. As it encapsulates, the anxiety for a peaceful world.

Father & son waiting for a coming train sitting on a farm truck. The ticket protruding from the son’s pocket. Son’s books are stacked on a new suitcase bearing “State U” pennant, with matching and socks. The young man focusing on the horizon eagerly waiting for the train.

Changing family in the

50s

In contrast, the father is apprehensive to let go. A red flag and lantern ready to wave down the train. Although their eyes never meet the family bond is strong. The dog seems to understand that too. The home ties are about to be broken.

Family Reunion

In contrast this is an earlier painting in 1948, showing the home coming of his son Jerry after military service. Every person in the painting is a real person, either family members, neighbours or friends.

The painting is interestingly arranged with the face of the main character hidden from us (like his Triple Self-Portrait). Note the accurately capture welcoming home expression on his son Tommy’s face, standing next to mum and all the smiling eyes in the painting.

Family Reunion – The smiling eyes.

Enlarged details of the previous painting, The Family Reunion.

Rockwell’s travel

Norman Rockwell travelled widely. He travelled to Africa, South America, Asia and Europe. He travelled 6 times to Europe and even stayed in Europe for several months.

1953 he moved to Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

Global challenge of the 1960s

In the early 50s, inspired by the United Nation’s humanitarian mission, the origin concept of the painting included 65 people, waiting ‘to live in a world without fear.’ Rockwell abandoned it because ‘it seemed empty and pretentious’.

In the early 60s, he revived the concept again, this time not only included different races, ethnicity and different religions, with an inscription, which strike a chord with Rockwell’s own philosophy. .

The hope of the People of the World, 1953.

“Rockwell was a compassionate and liberal man, and this inscription reflected his philosophy. Having travelled all his life and been welcomed wherever he went, Rockwell felt like a citizen of the world, and his politics reflected that value system” from Norman Rockwell museum website.

This is the original version in 1953. The people of the world were in hope of peace, anxiously waiting for a world without fear, while the Cold War ambassadors were debating at the front. This drawing is said to be the embodiment of Rockwell‘s values.

Skill of Accuracy

Rockwell had the skill and accuracy of a portraitist. He painted American presidents, foreign leaders and dignitaries, actors & actresses, the rich & the famous, together with the ordinary folks. He could have been a successful professional portraitists, like many of the great painters in history, like. Titan, Frans Hals or John Singer Sargent, his fellow American.

Apart from Nehru. He was commissioned to paint the portraits for Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon as well as Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt.

Norman Rockwell felt particularly strongly over civil rights. This painting shows a six years old Ruby Bridges, attending an all-white school in New Orleans escorted by four deputy US marshals, with the word ‘Nigger’ and tomato on the wall behind.

The Gemini space program - 1965

On Civil Rights

The painting depicted the brutal murder of the Mississippi civil rights workers, killed by the Ku Klux Klan. The three civil rights workers in their twenties, working on voter registration and education with local churches.

Rockwell has often criticized for idealized American life by depicting wholesome, healthy and happy sentiments, by his critics. You can say the same to many of the of the great painters too. Some painted just portraits, others the religious iconography, just landscapes or still life. An artist’s work does not have to be balanced. Artists are not sociologists, historian, politician or academics.

The Moon Landing - 1967

The painting appeared on the LOOK magazine. Rockwell even visited Huston to meet with NASA officials. Part of the painting was painted by Pierre Mion, an experienced space artist, who also helped Rockwell worked on the painting’s colour. It was the only two known collaborations between Rockwell and another artist. Note the command module hanging in the sky.

It had been a long time since Rockwell painted the Pioneer, recording the first flight across the Atlantic, by Lindbergh.

Peace Crop

In 1966, Rockwell took up the Peace Corp project for Look Magazine. He even travelled to Ethiopia, India and Colombia to learn about the work of the Peace Corp.

Blood Brothers

The painting was inspired by Manet’s ‘The Dead Matador’. Above is the draft version showing a black and white persons lying in a pool of intermingled blood after a race riot, on the assassination of Dr Martin Luther King. Look magazine suggested to change the painting into a scene in Vietnam with two dead marines. Rockwell painted the new version with the marines’ helmets cast beside them on the ground and called the painting Blood Brother. However, Look magazine decided not to publish the painting. The where about the final version of the painting is now unknown.

Norman Rockwell’s paintings have documented the history of the United States for some 70 years, from beginning of commercial radio to television, from beginning of air flight to the landings on the Moon, from the Boy scout to Peace Corp etc.

Timeline of his paintings

Rockwell was acknowledged by two of the most influential movie directors of the late 20C, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. Both of them are collectors of his paintings. They praised his story telling ability. A few of movies scenes were inspired by his paintings, amongst them were Empire of the Sun (Spielberg); Forrest Gump (Rockwell’s Girl with Black Eye), see Wikipedia.

His Admirers

Humour is the key

Rockwell made several paintings with reference to the practice of both creating and appreciating art. The Art Critic depicted his son Jarvis as a budding artist examining a painting by Rubens on his wife, watched by her and by a group of Dutch cavaliers, blurring reality and fantasy.

There is no ‘ism’ or ‘movement’ in Rockwell’s paintings. There is no intellectualising of art. He is just a very competent artist wanting to tell his own story as he see it, with his best skills and not unlike other successful old masters.

Facing the challenge

In 1962, Rockwell had worked in the POST for 46 years. Business in the POST was no longer as it used to be. It had to compete with radio and television for advertising revenue. Some advertisers criticized Rockwell was too old fashion and the POST need a fresh start. The well dressed man in the painting was also Rockwell, confronting, what looked like a painting by Jackson Pollock, the challenge of a new art movement.

Inspired by Vermeer"I call myself an illustrator but I am not an illustrator. Instead, I paint storytelling pictures which are quite popular but unfashionable.“

"No man with a conscience can just bat out illustrations. He's got to put all of his talent, all of his feeling into them. If illustration is not considered art, then that is something that we have brought upon ourselves by not considering ourselves artists. I believe that we should say, "I am not just an illustrator, I am an artist." - Norman Rockwell

There was so much in common between Rockwell’s paintings and the 17C genre paintings during the Dutch Golden Age. It evitable that he would do a painting with Vermeer settings. When Rockwell visited Delft in the Netherland, he even tried to gain entry into the house with view to one of Vermeer’s painting.

In the foot step of Jan Steen

Rockwell’s approach to paintings are basically the same as the Genre paintings of the Dutch 17C. It is about lives of the ordinary people doing ordinary things and at time making fools of themselves, with a bit of humour and satire, in particular like those of Jan Steen, the 17C Dutch painters.

His painting on magazine covers, like those engravings of Albert Durer, are aim at gain mass exposure and acceptance of his art and also for commercial successes.

In the foot step of Durer and Holbein.

Like Holbein the younger and Durer, Rockwell started their professional career as illustrators for books. Holbein started life illustrated books by the Dutch humanist Erasmus. In the case of Durer, he regularly published and promoted engravings of his own paintings to be sold to the general public. All of them were excellent portraitists.

Rockwell painted so many, so often and for so long that his paintings tracked changing visions of the American Dream, through world wars, the economic depression, civil strive, the technological developments, to the rise the rise of global institutions like the United Nations.

The Triple Portrait

A very unusual self-portrait, with the realistic image of the artist seen in the mirror, while an idealised image was presented on the canvas, without the glasses and no grey hair. On the corner of the canvas are the self-portraits of other well-known artists, including Durer and Van Gogh, perhaps seeing himself as a continuation of a tradition. On the right hand of the canvas are his sketches from different angles.

It is a very unusual self-portrait pose with the painter’s back facing the viewer. I can only think of one other example of this by Vermeer in his The Art of Painting in 1665.

All rights reserved. Rights belong to their respective owners. Available free for non-commercial and personal use.

The End

Music – La Paloma by Billy Vaughn & his orchestra.

Telling stories

The American Painters