Inspirational Stuff - Norman Rockwell -

Norman Rockwell (1894-1978) is one of the most famous painters from the United States, finding himself in the pantheon of artists such as Edward Hopper, Thomas Hart Benton, and John Singer Sargent. That’s probably because Norman Rockwell was illustrating for the countries biggest publications from 1913 to the 1970s. He painted portraits of presidents, Rosie the Riveter (not that one), and Colonel Sanders. All of which are below.

He had a long and prolific career, where his first cover illustration for the Saturday Evening Post was in 1916 when he was only 22 years old. Over the 6 decades of work, he was front and center during the highs and the lows for most of the 20th Century.

His art made people laugh during the depression and made people think throughout the Civil Rights movement. His work during WWII is a time capsule that we should always treasure. And treasure we do, many-a Rockwell painting has been displayed in the White House over the years.

His talent wasn’t just in painting, it was the story that he told with that painting. If you know us you know our love of Gary Larson’s The Far Side. Rockwell’s humorous paintings remind me of that in a way. But unlike Larson, Rockwell didn’t need any text to help deliver the punchline.

The Jury (aka The Hold Out) for Saturday Evening Post - Feb 14, 1959 — *The Jury (aka The Hold Out) – Saturday Evening Post – Feb 14, 1959*

Rockwell put himself in the jury painting, he’s right behind the girl with his nose almost touching her hair.

Lion and his keeper — *Lion and his Keeper – Saturday Evening Post – January 9 1954*

'Shadow Artist,' The Country Gentleman magazine February 7, 1920 - Norman Rockwell — The good old days when people paid for real entertainment.
‘Shadow Artist,’ The Country Gentleman magazine February 7, 1920

'Christmas: Santa with Elves' for The Saturday Evening Post - December 2, 1922 - Norman Rockwell — *‘Christmas: Santa with Elves’ – The Saturday Evening Post – December 2, 1922*

Girl Missing Tooth (The Checkup), The Saturday Evening Post, September 7, 1957 — *Girl Missing Tooth (The Checkup) – The Saturday Evening Post – September 7, 1957*

Saying Grace - Rockwell — *Saying Grace*

Runaway - Sept 20 1958 — *Runaway – Saturday Evening Post – Sept. 20 1958*

Pardon Me (Children Dancing at a Party), The Saturday Evening Post, January 26, 1918 — *Pardon Me (Children Dancing at a Party) – The Saturday Evening Post – January 26, 1918*

Girl Reading the Post. Cover illustration for The Saturday Evening Post - March 1, 1941 - Norman Rockwell — *Girl Reading the Post – The Saturday Evening Post – March 1, 1941*

*Boy on High Dive -The Saturday Evening Post – August 16, 1947*

Country Doctor,Norman Rockwell Saturday Evening Post story illustration April 12, 1947 — *Country Doctor – Saturday Evening Post interior story illustration – April 12, 1947*

Going and Coming - The Saturday Evening Post - August 30, 1947 — *Going and Coming – The Saturday Evening Post – August 30, 1947*

Polley Voos Fransay? (Soldier Speaking to Little French Girl) - Life - November 22, 1917 — *Polley Voos Fransay? (Soldier Speaking to Little French Girl) – Life – November 22, 1917*

Gary Cooper as the Texan, The Saturday Evening Post, May 24, 1930 — Gary Cooper as the Texan – The Saturday Evening Post – May 24, 1930

Happy Birthday Miss Jones, The Saturday Evening Post, March 17, 1956 — *Happy Birthday Miss Jones – The Saturday Evening Post – March 17, 1956*

Let Nothing You Dismay - Ladies' Home Journal - July 1941 — *Let Nothing You Dismay – Ladies’ Home Journal – July 1941*

*Movie Starlet and Reporters – The Saturday Evening Post – March 7, 1936*

*The Connoisseur – The Saturday Evening Post – January 13, 1962*

The Flirts, The Saturday Evening Post, July 26, 1941 — *The Flirts – The Saturday Evening Post – July 26, 1941*

*Marble Champion – The Saturday Evening Post – September 2, 1939*

Woman at Vanity, The Saturday Evening Post, October 21, 1933 — *Woman at Vanity – The Saturday Evening Post – October 21, 1933*

Boy Reading Adventure Story - The Saturday Evening Post - November 10, 1923 — *Boy Reading Adventure Story – The Saturday Evening Post – November 10, 1923*

Couple in Rumble Seat - The Saturday Evening Post - July 13, 1935 — *Couple in Rumble Seat – The Saturday Evening Post – July 13, 1935*

The Convention (Hat Check Girl) - The Saturday Evening Post - May 3, 1941 — *The Convention (Hat Check Girl) – The Saturday Evening Post – May 3, 1941*

Advertising Work

And Daniel Boone Comes to Life on the Underwood Portable, Underwood typewriter advertisement, 1923 — *And Daniel Boone Comes to Life on the Underwood Portable – Underwood typewriter ad (1923)*

*The Watchmaker (1948) for The Watchmakers of Switzerland, now known as the Federation of Swiss Watchmakers.*

The Stuff of Which Memories Are Made, Edison Mazda Lampworks advertisement, 1922 — *The Stuff of Which Memories Are Made, Edison Mazda Lampworks (now GE) ad – 1922*

World War II

Back to Civvies, The Saturday Evening Post, December 15, 1945 — *Back to Civvies – The Saturday Evening Post – December 15, 1945*

War News, Norman Rockwell. 1945 — *War News – Norman Rockwell – 1945*

Rosie the Riveter

When people think of Rosie the Riveter they think about the iconic Westinghouse Electric ad but this Rosie was more well known in it’s day than the Westinghouse ad. It was published on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post on Memorial Day — May 29, 1943

Rockwell based the pose of his ‘Rosie’ off of Michelangelo’s depiction of Prophet Isaiah from the Sistine Chapel ceiling. She’s also got her foot on a copy of Mein Kampf.

Four Freedoms

Rockwell was inspired to create the Four Freedoms series after hearing a speech by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in January 1941, where Roosevelt named the Four Freedoms for universal rights: Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Worship, Freedom from Want, and Freedom from Fear. They were published on the covers of four consecutive issues of the Saturday Evening Post.

*Freedom of Worship – February 27, 1943*

Work with Look magazine

While Rockwell was at The Saturday Evening Post he wasn’t able to address the Civil Rights movement as artistically as he wanted to. He wasn’t afraid to let his feelings be known about social issues, but the publishers were. When he went over to Look magazine he had a longer leash and was able to illustrate some powerful paintings.