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Norman Rockwell Portrait Paintings

American, 1894-1978

Norman Rockwell is among the most revered painters of the 20th century. His figurative and portrait paintings reflect an innocent and idyllic America described by the artist as "life as I would like it to be." For nearly 50 years, he illustrated the covers of The Saturday Evening Post in a rich and emotive style that gave distinctive personalities to his imagined characters. In total, Norman Rockwell created more than 4,000 works of art over the course of his life.

Rockwell was born in 1894 in New York City. His artistic aspirations took shape early on, and when he was 14 years old, he took classes at the New York School of the Art, which is now the Parsons School of Design. Later, he attended the Art Students League of New York, where he studied under influential painters Thomas Fogarty and George Bridgman. While still a teen, Rockwell became art director of the Boy Scouts of America publication Boys' Life.

At 21, Rockwell moved to New Rochelle, New York, and opened a studio with fellow illustrator Victor Clyde Forsythe. He created illustrations for magazines like Literary Digest and Life before his first cover for The Saturday Evening Post was published when he was 22. In 1939, after moving to Arlington, Vermont, Rockwell pivoted to making the nostalgic paintings of small-town and iconic America for which he is best known — scenes of Christmas dinner, children playing in the street and national treasures like Ruby Bridges and Rosie the Riveter.

In 1943, a speech previously given by President Franklin Roosevelt inspired Rockwell to create his most famous series, “The Four Freedoms,” which was exhibited all over the United States. The series included four pieces entitled Freedom of Speech, Freedom to Worship, Freedom from Want and Freedom from Fear.

Rockwell moved with his family to Stockbridge, Massachusetts, in 1953, where he spent the rest of his life. My Adventures as an Illustrator — the autobiography Rockwell wrote with the help of his son, Thomas — was published in 1960. In 1963, Rockwell ceased working with The Saturday Evening Post and started drawing illustrations for Look magazine.

The world’s largest collection of original Rockwell art can be found at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge. The artist was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977, and he passed away peacefully in his home the following year.

On 1stDibs, find a collection of original Norman Rockwell paintings, prints, drawings and other works.

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Artist: Norman Rockwell
Blackstone Cigars
By Norman Rockwell
Located in New Orleans, LA
A charming relic of a bygone era, this rare oil is the work of the inimitable American illustrator, Norman Rockwell. The iconic artist’s ability to render the details and nuances of ...
Category

Early 20th Century Other Art Style Norman Rockwell Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Portrait of a Geisha Girl, Pan American World Airways Advertisement
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Date: 1956 Medium: Oil and Pencil on Paperboard Dimensions: 18.00" x 15.00" Signature: Signed with the Artist's Initials 'N/R' Lower Right Pan American World Airways advertising campaign Exhibitions West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, Norman Rockwell Museum...
Category

1950s Norman Rockwell Portrait Paintings

Materials

Board, Oil, Pencil

Good Scouts, Life Magazine Cover
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Medium: Oil on Canvas Sight Size 18.00" x 14.00", Framed 25.00" x 21.00" Signature: Signed Lower Right Cover of Life Magazine, November 8, 1924 Good Scouts, Girl Scouts...
Category

1920s Norman Rockwell Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

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Madonna and Child with Angels in the Clouds
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Provenance: Charles H. and Virginia Baldwin, Claremont, Colorado Springs, Colorado ca. 1907-1934; thence by descent until sold in 1949 to: Charles Blevins Davis, Claremont (renamed Trianon), Colorado Springs 1949 -until gifted in 1952 to: The Poor Sisters of Saint Francis, Trianon, Colorado Springs, 1952 until acquired, 1960, by: John W. Metzger, Trianon, renamed as the Trianon School of Fine Arts, Colorado Springs, 1960-1967; when transferred to: The Metzger Family Foundation, Trianon Art Museum, Denver, 1967 - 2004; thence by descent in the Metzger Family until 2015 Exhibited: Trianon Art Museum, Denver (until 2004) The present work is a spectacular jewel-like canvas by Amigoni, rich in delicate pastel colors, most likely a modello for an altarpiece either lost or never painted. In it the Madonna stands firmly upon a cloud in the heavens, her Child resting on a delicate veil further supported by a cloud, as he gently wraps his arm around his mother’s neck. From above angels prepare to lower flowers and a wreath, while other angels and seraphim surrounding the two joyfully cavort. Dr. Annalisa Scarpa, author of the forthcoming monograph on Jacopo Amigoni...
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Portrait of a Lady with a Chiqueador
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Provenance: Torres Family Collection, Asunción, Paraguay, ca. 1967-2017 While the genre of portraiture flourished in the New World, very few examples of early Spanish colonial portraits have survived to the present day. This remarkable painting is a rare example of female portraiture, depicting a member of the highest echelons of society in Cuzco during the last quarter of the 17th century. Its most distinctive feature is the false beauty mark (called a chiqueador) that the sitter wears on her left temple. Chiqueadores served both a cosmetic and medicinal function. In addition to beautifying their wearers, these silk or velvet pouches often contained medicinal herbs thought to cure headaches. This painting depicts an unidentified lady from the Creole elite in Cuzco. Her formal posture and black costume are both typical of the established conventions of period portraiture and in line with the severe fashion of the Spanish court under the reign of Charles II, which remained current until the 18th century. She is shown in three-quarter profile, her long braids tied with soft pink bows and decorated with quatrefoil flowers, likely made of silver. Her facial features are idealized and rendered with great subtly, particularly in the rosy cheeks. While this portrait lacks the conventional coat of arms or cartouche that identifies the sitter, her high status is made clear by the wealth of jewels and luxury materials present in the painting. She is placed in an interior, set off against the red velvet curtain tied in the middle with a knot on her right, and the table covered with gold-trimmed red velvet cloth at the left. The sitter wears a four-tier pearl necklace with a knot in the center with matching three-tiered pearl bracelets and a cross-shaped earing with three increasingly large pearls. She also has several gold and silver rings on both hands—one holds a pair of silver gloves with red lining and the other is posed on a golden metal box, possibly a jewelry box. The materials of her costume are also of the highest quality, particularly the white lace trim of her wide neckline and circular cuffs. The historical moment in which this painting was produced was particularly rich in commissions of this kind. Following his arrival in Cuzco from Spain in the early 1670’s, bishop Manuel de Mollinedo y Angulo actively promoted the emergence of a distinctive regional school of painting in the city. Additionally, with the increase of wealth and economic prosperity in the New World, portraits quickly became a way for the growing elite class to celebrate their place in society and to preserve their memory. Portraits like this one would have been prominently displayed in a family’s home, perhaps in a dynastic portrait gallery. We are grateful to Professor Luis Eduardo Wuffarden for his assistance cataloguing this painting on the basis of high-resolution images. He has written that “the sober palette of the canvas, the quality of the pigments, the degree of aging, and the craquelure pattern on the painting layer confirm it to be an authentic and representative work of the Cuzco school of painting...
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Previously Available Items
Man Seated by Radiator by Norman Rockwell
By Norman Rockwell
Located in New Orleans, LA
Norman Rockwell 1894-1978 American Man Seated by Radiator Signed “Norman Rockwell” (lower right) Oil on canvas Combining Norman Rockwell’s remarkable talents for narrative and nostalgia, this oil on canvas by the great American illustrator was almost certainly created as an advertisement for a radiator company. Depicting a kindly old man and his feline companion warming themselves next to the heater, this delightful oil on canvas represents the artist’s immense talent for rendering the nuances of everyday life. The painting boasts extraordinary detail and endless charm, and it is heartwarmingly Rockwellian in all aspects. With his astute eye for narrative, Rockwell conveys the utility and convenience of a radiator, which was considered a luxury appliance in the early 20th century but was gaining in popularity around the time of this work’s creation circa 1935. Rockwell crafts an inviting setting, drawing viewers into the living space of his charming subject with believable and masterfully executed details, from the gentleman placing his book down for a moment to warm his hand over the radiator to the snow falling outside. The composition’s rich, warm palette enhances the coziness of the scene, and the subject’s friendly smile seems to invite the viewer into the scene. Rockwell's ability to capture the character of the nation was prized not only by magazine art editors from popular publications such as Life, Literary Digest and the iconic Saturday Evening Post, but also by advertisers. Nearly all major companies of the day sought the artist out for his highly appealing compositions, including Jell-O, Coca-Cola, General Motors, Ford, Post Cereals, and the U.S. Army. Taken together, his many paintings capture the essence of the American spirit. “I paint life as I would like it to be,” Rockwell once said. Mythical, idealistic, and innocent, his paintings evoke a longing for a time and place that existed in his rich imagination and in the hopes and aspirations of the nation. Norman Rockwell led a long and successful career as an artist. While history was in the making all around him, Rockwell chose to fill his canvases with the small details and nuances of ordinary people in everyday life. Taken together, his many paintings capture the essence of the American spirit. Rockwell said, "Without thinking too much about it in specific terms, I was showing the America I knew and observed to others who might not have noticed." Rockwell's distinguished career earned him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977, the highest honor bestowed upon an American civilian. This work is pictured in Norman Rockwell: A Definitive Catalogue, Volume II, by Laurie Norton Moffatt. Circa 1935 Canvas: 40" high x 30 1/4" wide Frame: 49 5/8" high x 39 3/4" wide Provenance: Collection of Studio 53...
Category

20th Century American Modern Norman Rockwell Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Man Seated by Radiator
By Norman Rockwell
Located in New Orleans, LA
Combining Norman Rockwell’s remarkable talents for narrative and nostalgia, this oil on canvas by the great American illustrator was almost certainly created as an advertisement for a radiator company. Depicting a kindly old man and his feline companion warming themselves next to the heater, this delightful oil on canvas represents the artist’s immense talent for rendering the nuances of everyday life. The painting boasts extraordinary detail and endless charm, and it is heartwarmingly Rockwellian in all aspects. With his astute eye for narrative, Rockwell conveys the utility and convenience of a radiator, which was considered a luxury appliance in the early 20th century but was gaining in popularity around the time of this work’s creation circa 1935. Rockwell crafts an inviting setting, drawing viewers into the living space of his charming subject with believable and masterfully executed details, from the gentleman placing his book down for a moment to warm his hand over the radiator to the snow falling outside. The composition’s rich, warm palette enhances the coziness of the scene, and the subject’s friendly smile seems to invite the viewer into the scene. Rockwell's ability to capture the character of the nation was prized not only by magazine art editors from popular publications such as Life, Literary Digest and the iconic Saturday Evening Post, but also by advertisers. Nearly all major companies of the day sought the artist out for his highly appealing compositions, including Jell-O, Coca-Cola, General Motors, Ford, Post Cereals, and the U.S. Army. Taken together, his many paintings capture the essence of the American spirit. “I paint life as I would like it to be,” Rockwell once said. Mythical, idealistic, and innocent, his paintings evoke a longing for a time and place that existed in his rich imagination and in the hopes and aspirations of the nation. Norman Rockwell led a long and successful career as an artist. While history was in the making all around him, Rockwell chose to fill his canvases with the small details and nuances of ordinary people in everyday life. Taken together, his many paintings capture the essence of the American spirit. Rockwell said, "Without thinking too much about it in specific terms, I was showing the America I knew and observed to others who might not have noticed." Rockwell's distinguished career earned him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977, the highest honor bestowed upon an American civilian. This work is pictured in Norman Rockwell: A Definitive Catalogue, Volume II, by Laurie Norton Moffatt. Circa 1935 Canvas: 40" high x 30 1/4" wide Frame: 49 5/8" high x 39 3/4" wide Provenance: Collection of Studio 53...
Category

20th Century American Modern Norman Rockwell Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

The Welder
By Norman Rockwell
Located in New Orleans, LA
A welder at work is the subject of this original oil by the great American illustrator Norman Rockwell. The composition was featured on the April 1921 cover of the Popular Science Mo...
Category

20th Century Modern Norman Rockwell Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Boypower Manpower
By Norman Rockwell
Located in New Orleans, LA
Displaying the artist’s celebrated style, this remarkable work is a well-executed preliminary study for Rockwell's 1971 Boy Scouts of America poster. The work represents the culminat...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Norman Rockwell Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

Portrait of Honora Gifford
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Medium: Oil on canvas, mounted to masonite Signature: Signed Lower Right Sight Size 16.00" x 15.00;" Framed 18.25" x 17.25 As discussed briefly in the book(s) Norman Rockwell: A Def...
Category

1960s Norman Rockwell Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Masonite, Oil

Study for "Boy with Melting Ice Cream Cones"
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Palm Desert, CA
An oil on canvas painting by Norman Rockwell. This oil painting is a study of a young male model who posed for a Norman Rockwell Saturday Evening Post...
Category

1940s American Realist Norman Rockwell Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Norman Rockwell portrait paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Norman Rockwell portrait paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Norman Rockwell in oil paint, paint, canvas and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the modern style. Not every interior allows for large Norman Rockwell portrait paintings, so small editions measuring 14 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Edward Marecak, Donald Roy Purdy, and Orovida Pissarro. Norman Rockwell portrait paintings prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $82,000 and tops out at $698,500, while the average work can sell for $350,000.
Questions About Norman Rockwell Portrait Paintings
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Norman Rockwell was renowned for painting covers for the Saturday Evening Post magazine. He painted 321 covers total in a collaboration spanning almost five decades. Shop an array of authentic Norman Rockwell works from top sellers around the world on 1stiDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Norman Rockwell painted his first cover for The Saturday Evening Post in 1916. Over the next 46 years, he would go on to paint 300 covers for the magazine. You’ll find a variety of Norman Rockwell art pieces from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.

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