Norman Rockwell: Painting the Essence of American Life

Few American artists were able to capture Americana the way Norman Rockwell did in his paintings and illustrations. In his iconic Freedom from Want, Rockwell depicts his friends and family, which was often the case in his works, gathered around a table for Thanksgiving. It is an idealized portrayal of a white, middle-class family, and at the time of its publication in the Saturday Evening Post as a part of a four-part series, it became instantaneously recognized throughout the country. While critics in the United States and abroad didn’t all consider his work to be at the level of some of his contemporaries, he was widely known and loved for his decades-long contributions to the Saturday Evening Post, in addition to his work with the Boy Scouts of America.

Rockwell was born in New York City 1894 and realized his artistic abilities at an early age. He attended the Chase Art School in his youth, then studied at the National Academy of Design in addition to the Art Students League. Some of his early illustrations appeared in the Boy Scouts of America’s magazine, Boy’s Life.  His association with the Saturday Evening Post started in his 20s and he had his first illustration, entitled Mother’s Day Off, published in 1920. That first year he produced illustrations for eight covers. He continued his work with that publication for 47 years, having illustrated 323 original covers of the magazine.

Rockwell’s paintings and illustrations led to work on some other well-known magazines including Literary Digest, Country Gentleman, Leslie’s Weekly, Judge, and Life. While he was no longer working full-time for the Boy Scouts of America, he provided 51 illustrations for their annual calendar.

One of his most iconic paintings is his Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas. This classic 1967 work is yet again an idealized setting of the town Stockbridge, Massachusetts, over the Christmas holidays in the 1950s and 60s. The town couldn’t be more quaint in person, and that’s regardless of the season. The buildings are all still there: shops, restaurants, and even the locally-famous Red Lion Inn Hotel. For those in-the-know, every December the town recreates Rockwell’s painting with vintage cars and decorations, and visitors come from all over to see his quintessentially American style Christmas come to life. This year the event runs from December 6 to 8.

Another illustration that seems ingrained in American culture is his Rosie the Riveter, from 1943. This work inspired and empowered many women during the Second World War to enter the workforce. Because so many men were serving on the frontlines, women were desperately needed in the manufacturing sector, and this poster was a great promotional tool to enlist more women to step into those jobs.

One of Rockwell’s most substantial contributions as an artist was his piece The Problem We All Live With, from 1964, which is one of the most iconic images of the Civil Rights Movement. Here, Rockwell was inspired by the real person, Ruby Bridges, who was the first African American child to attend an all-white elementary school. The painting shows her being escorted into the school by four deputy U. S. marshals. This is a significant piece for Rockwell, as it breaks with his tradition of sentimentality in his works and focuses on a serious issue of national importance.

Today, visitors can enjoy a substantial collection of Rockwell’s work at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA. Visitors will find there are a great number of his illustrations from The Saturday Evening Post, including his series The Four Freedoms, No Swimming, The Problem We All Life With, The Runaway, to name a few. It’s an incredible museum and well maintained, and the museum and artist’s studio are in a stunning setting near the Berkshire Mountains.

For more information: https://www.nrm.org/