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.
Knight Looking in Stained Glass Window, Christmas Cover for the Post
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Original cover for The Saturday Evening Post, published December 6, 1930 Medium: Oil on Canvas Artwork Dimensions: 44.25" x 34.25" Signature: Signed Lower Right Norman Rockwe...
Canvas, Oil
$1,250,000
Courting Couple at Midnight, Original cover for The Saturday Evening Post, 1919
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Cover of The Saturday Evening Post magazine, March 22, 1919 A young couple, caught up in the excitement of courtship, sits together as the clock strikes midnight. Bathed in the warm...
Canvas, Oil, Board
"The Coward" Original cover for Life magazine, Woman Kissing World War I Soldier
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
"The Coward" (Woman Kissing Soldier). Original cover illustration for Life Magazine, published April 1919. Norman Rockwell’s The Coward (or, Woman Kissing Soldier) was published on...
Canvas, Oil
The Jester, Post Cover
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Signed by Artist Lower Right The Saturday Evening Post, February 11, 1939, cover illustration Literature The Saturday Evening Post, February 11, 1939, cover illustration Thomas S....
Oil
Men Drinking Coffee
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Signed by Artist Lower Right Maxwell House Coffee
Oil
Me and My Pal: Fishing Raft, Four Seasons Calendar Illustration
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
For Norman Rockwell's Four Seasons calendar series for Brown & Bigelow By the end of World War II, Norman Rockwell was a household name throughout the United States and considered...
Oil, Canvas
The End of the Road
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Medium: Oil on Canvas Dimensions: 28.00" x 20.00" Signature: Signed and Dated Upper Right The End of the Road "Don't tell me you're my sister, you plu...
Canvas, Oil
"Yes Sir! That's Hills Brothers Coffee" Original Advertisement
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
This illustration was created for the Hills Brothers Coffee company in 1929 and was used on promotional products as well as coffee cans in the ye...
Canvas, Oil
It’s Never Too Late to Mend
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Signed by Artist Lower Right Commissioned from the artist by Coats & Clark thread company circa 1939 Exhibited at the Mint Museum, January 2022
Oil
Tender Years: Moth Holes by Norman Rockwell
By Norman Rockwell
Located in New Orleans, LA
Norman Rockwell 1894-1978 American Tender Years: Moth Holes Signed "Norman Rockwell" (lower right) Oil on canvas From Norman Rockwell's acclaimed Four Seasons calendar series for...
Canvas, Oil
An Audience of One
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Medium: Oil on Canvas Signature: Signed Lower Right Literature: Laurie Norton Moffatt, Norman Rockwell: A Definitive Catalogue, Norman Rockwell Museum...
Canvas, Oil
The Adventurers, Post Cover
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Signed by Artist in Lower Right The Saturday Evening Post, April 14, 1928, cover illustration Literature: Arthur Leighton Guptill, Norman Rockwell, Illustrator, New York, 1970, p....
Oil
Swords at Weehawken
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Date: 1938 Medium: Oil on Paperboard Sight Size 20.25" x 13.875", Framed to 27.50" x 21.00" Signature: Signed Lower Right with Initials: N/R 'Philip found himself involved in a humi...
Oil, Board, Laid Paper
An Audience of One - Santa
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Medium: Oil on Canvas Signature: Signed Lower Right Literature: Laurie Norton Moffatt, Norman Rockwell: A Definitive Catalogue, Norman Rockwell Museum at Stockbridge, Stockbridge, M...
Canvas, Oil
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 ...
Canvas, Oil
The Fireman, Study for Saturday Evening Post Cover
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Date: 1944 Medium: Oil and Graphite on Paperboard Sight Size 14.00" x 11.00", Framed 22.00" x 19.00" Study for cover of The Saturday Evening Post, May 27, 1944 Norman Rockwell disc...
Paper, Oil, Graphite
Chivalry Sketch, Study for SEP Cover
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Study for Satruday Evening Post Cover, Fabruary 16, 1929
Oil
Study for 'The Collector'
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Over the course of his long and prolific career, Norman Rockwell executed over 300 cover illustrations for The Saturday Evening Post. In addition to these beloved commissions, Rockwe...
Oil
Summer Vacation, The Saturday Evening Post cover study
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Study for the Cover illustration for The Saturday Evening Post, June 30th, 1934 LITERATURE: C.D.B. Bryan, Mort Walker and the Art of Illustration, Architectural Digest, July 1988, ...
Oil
Price Upon Request
Ticket Seller
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Palm Desert, CA
Norman Rockwell’s "Ticket Seller" (1937) presents one of the artist’s most irresistible visual ironies: a bored, world-weary agent sits slumped behind iron bars, surrounded by a riot...
Canvas, Oil
Price Upon Request
Maxwell House Coffee Illustration
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Signed by Artist Lower Right Maxwell House Coffee Illustration Few artists have ever pulled on our nation's heartstrings, particularly in reference to family and generations, as adeptly as Norman Rockwell. From his earliest advertisements to his patriotic World War II subjects, Rockwell's virtuoso was in his ability to capture the essence of American culture and a view of a more innocent time in our country's history. Rockwell states: "I was showing the America I knew and observed to others who might not have noticed. And perhaps, therefore, this is one function of the illustrator. He can show what has become so familiar that it is no longer noticed. The illustrator thus becomes a chronicler of his time." (as quoted in Norman Rockwell: A Definitive Catalogue, Stockbridge, Massachusetts, 1986, p. xii) Recognizing the need for reminiscence from young and old alike, Rockwell effectively captures a timeless scene: Here, two old friends gingerly and jovially play a game of chess, sipping coffee as they wait for their furry friend to make the next move. The work is executed in Rockwell's signature descriptive style of finely drawn, clear realism with a wealth of fascinating detail. In discussing his career, Rockwell commented, "I was showing the America I knew and observed to others who might not have noticed. And perhaps, therefore, this is one function of the illustrator. He can show what has become so familiar that it is no longer noticed. The illustrator thus becomes a chronicler of his time." (as quoted in Norman Rockwell: A Definitive Catalogue, Stockbridge, Massachusetts, 1986, p. xii) Rockwell seemingly utilizes one of his favorite models in the present work-James K. Van Brunt. The artist recalled his initial meeting with Van Brunt in 1924 in New Rochelle, New York: "I remember it was June and it was terribly hot. I was working in my underwear and not getting along too well because my brushes were slippery with perspiration. Suddenly the downstairs door banged and I heard someone come up the stairs treading on each step with a loud, deliberate thump...A tiny old man with a knobby nose, an immense, drooping mustache, and round, heavy-lidded eyes stamped bellicosely into the studio. 'James K. Van Brunt, sir,' he said, saluting me and bowing all at once. 'Five feet two inches tall, sir. The exact height of Napoleon Bonaparte!' And he pushed out his thin little chest, which was encased in a fawn colored vest. 'I have fought the Confederate Army at Antietam, Fredericksburg, and in the Wilderness,' he said. 'I have battled the nations of the Sioux under Dull Knife, Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull. I have fought the Spaniards, sir, in Cuba.' And he rapped his cane on the floor and looked at me very belligerently. Then, having ascertained that I wasn't going to contradict him, he took off his gloves and his wide brimmed hat, laid them on a chair, and patted his mustache. 'This mustache, sir,' he said, 'is eight full inches wide from tip to tip. The ladies, sir, make much of it.' And he winked at me and walked over to my mirror to stare at his mustache." (My Adventures as an Illustrator, New York, 1994, p. 206) Van Brunt was a consummate professional as a model, carefully practicing his poses in the mirror in advance of a session and, at times, inspiring the idea for the cover illustration. Rockwell stated that he used to suggest a cover almost every time they saw one another and referred to the day when Van Brunt first showed up at his studio as "one of the luckiest days of my life." (My Adventures as an Illustrator, p. 206) James K. Van Brunt appeared in ten Post covers by Rockwell, as well as countless other paintings used as advertisements, such as the present work. Given Van Brunt's distinctive visage with his mustache, the editor at the Post, George Horace Lorimer, complained. "Rockwell recalled, 'Mr. Lorimer said to me, 'I think you're using that man too much. Everybody's beginning to notice it. Maybe you'd better stop for a while. That mustache of his is too identifiable.' Rockwell informed Van Brunt of the problem, 'If you take off your mustache I can use you again...Otherwise I just can't.' Two weeks later Van...
Oil
Price Upon Request
Couple's 25th Wedding Anniversary
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Signed by artist lower left corner. Literature: Laurie Norton Moffatt, Norman Rockwell: A Definitive Catalogue, Stockbridge, Massachusetts, 1986, vol. I, no. A242, p. 362, illustrated Notes: Painted circa 1925. A letter from Norman Rockwell to the Graham family discussing the painting accompanies the lot.In April 1921, Dodge Brothers entered into a burgeoning partnership with the Graham Brothers, an Evansville, Indiana family-run, truck manufacturing business, headed by three siblings, Joseph B., Robert C. and Ray A. Graham. By 1920, their company was building complete truck and bus bodies with various engines which, in April 1921 caught the attention of Dodge’s president, Frederick J. Haynes. Haynes saw the Graham product as a way to get Dodge into the heavy truck business without compromising their own car production. The two companies agreed to have Graham Brothers build trucks solely with Dodge engines and drive trains, and sell them exclusively through Dodge dealerships nationwide. The partnership resulted in a new name, Graham Brothers, Inc., a company relocation to Detroit, and the opening of numerous factories nationwide over the next several years. In 1925, Joseph, Robert and Ray were appointed Dodge directors and executives, and were among the largest stockholders of the company. By 1926, Graham Brothers, Inc. was the largest exclusive truck manufacturer in the world. In later years, the brothers went on to build the Graham-Paige Motors Corporation, further expanding their success in the automotive business.Around 1925, the current painting was commissioned from Normal Rockwell...
Oil
Price Upon Request
Study for 'Grandma's Doll Collection'
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Medium: Oil on Canvas Signature: Inscribed: "My best wishes to/my friend Judy Bedell/sincerely/Norman Rockwell Included with the painting, the dress that the model wore for this pai...
Canvas, Oil
Price Upon Request
Santa on Train, Saturday Evening Post Cover
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Date: 1940 Medium: Oil on Canvas Dimensions: 38.00" x 30.00" Signature: Signed Lower Right Original Cover Illustration for The Saturday Evening Post, December 28, 1940 At the heart of this touching and humorous Christmas work which appeared on the December 28, 1940 cover of THE SATURDAY EVENING POST, is the juxtaposition of the heads of the astonished boy holding a Drysdale package, the Drysdale poster of the store Santa in costume, and the drowsy man wearing the Santa pants and boots under his overcoat, obviously on his way home from work. Rockwell’s gift as a storyteller in pictures is displayed here at its best. The simple use of predominantly three colors – red, black and white, and the omission of any extraneous detail, add to the strength of this fine example of illustration art. Exhibitions Fort Lauderdale Museum of the Arts, Ford Lauderdale, Florida, Norman Rockwell: A Sixty Year Retrospective, February 11- March 5, 1972. The Booklyn Museum, March- April 1972 Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington D.C, May 26, 1972- July 23, 1972 McNay Art Institute, San Antonio, Texas, July 1972- August 1972 M.H De Yound Memorial Museum, Golden State Park, San Francisco, California, Norman Rockwell: A Sixty Year Retrospective, September 9, 1972- September 5, 1972. Osaka, Japan, Hankyu Department Store, April 4-9, 1975. Press The Saturday Evening Post, December 29, 1940, cover illustration. A.L. Guptill, Norman Rockwell: Illustrator, New York, 1946, p.179, cover illustrated. T.S. Buechner, Norman Rockwell: Artist and Illustrator, New York, 1970, no. 529, illustrated. T.S. Buechner, Norman Rockwell: A Sixty Year Retrospective, exhibition catalogue, New York, 1972, p. 78, illustrated. M. Hart Hennessey and A. Knutson, Norman Rockwell: Pictures for the American People, exhibition catalogue, New York, 1999, p. 160, illustrated. C. Finch, Norman Rockwell’s America...
Canvas, Oil
$654
H 14.97 in W 22.84 in D 0.79 in
Exotic Landscape - Painting by Kabemba Situna WA - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Exotic Landscape is an artwork realized by Kabemba Situna Wa. Oil on Canvas, 1970s. 38 x 58 cm ; 65 x 85 cm with frame. Good conditions
Canvas, Oil
$1,404Sale Price|52% Off
H 21.26 in W 17.72 in
French Rococo painter - 18th century genre scene with flute player and dog
Located in Varmo, IT
French painter (18th century) - Flute Player and Dog. 43.5 x 35 cm (without frame), 54 x 45 cm (with frame). Oil on canvas, in a carved and gilded wooden frame. The scene depicts ...
Canvas, Oil
$2,340Sale Price|55% Off
H 19.69 in W 27.56 in
Venetian painter - 18th century Turkish figures with parrot and musician
Located in Varmo, IT
Venetian painter (18th century) - Oriental scene with figures in Turkish costume and a parrot. 43.5 x 63.5 cm (unframed) - 50 x 70 cm (framed). Oil ...
Canvas, Oil
$2,750
H 24.75 in W 21.75 in D 1 in
"Countryside Waterfall" Colorful Autumn Landscape Oil Painting on Canvas Board
By Robert Waltsak
Located in New York, NY
A wonderful impressionist Autumn pastoral scene of a glistening waterfall by the countryside. Waltsak has portrayed this piece in a most intimate, yet energetic way, and has packed m...
Canvas, Oil, Board
Sailing Along
By Kristina Nemethy
Located in New York, NY
A stunning depiction of a boat sailing along. Nemethy uses a bold impressionistic technique with thick use of paint and wonderful impressions. With unique colors, we can feel the moo...
Canvas, Oil, Board
$25,000
H 32 in W 37 in D 1.75 in
"Afternoon Picnic" Outdoor Still Life American Impressionist Oil Painting Framed
By Martha Walter
Located in New York, NY
A vibrant impressionistic still life depiction by Martha Walter of a wonderful summer scene by a picnic table. A turquoise bowl, a glass bottle, a drinking glass, cups, a cola bottle...
Canvas, Oil, Board
$18,000
H 25 in W 32 in
NYC Cafe WPA American Scene Social Realism Regionalism Modernism Woman Artist
Located in New York, NY
NYC Cafe WPA American Scene Social Realism Regionalism Modernism Woman Artist Dorothy Eaton (1893-1968) New York City Cafe Scene, 1931. 20 x 29 inches ...
Canvas, Oil
$1,755Sale Price|40% Off
H 27.17 in W 23.23 in
German Realist painter - 19th century children playing with a trained dog
Located in Varmo, IT
German Realist painter (19th century) - Two children training a dog. 56.5 x 46.5 cm (without frame) - 69 x 59 cm (with frame). Oil on canvas, in a gilt wood frame. Signed indistin...
Canvas, Oil
$4,446
H 28.94 in W 36.42 in
Jean Baptiste Caudot - 18th century French Rococo Arcadian landscape painting
Located in Varmo, IT
Jean Baptiste Caudot (Nancy 1682 – Nancy 1757) – Arcadian Landscape with Resting Figures. 54.5 x 73.5 cm (without frame) - 73.5 x 92.5 cm (with frame). Oil on canvas, in carved and...
Canvas, Oil
"Looking for Breakfast", Oil Painting
By Christopher Clark
Located in Denver, CO
Christopher Clark's (US based) "Looking for Breakfast" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a bird perched in a flooded grassy field. Bio/artist statement: Christopher has been an artist since early childhood, when he would watch Bob Ross on PBS and mimic the famed oil painter’s art with crayons. He considers himself a self-educated artist, with his studies ranging from personal training with contemporary masters, to classical academic art technique, with much inspiration from 19th Century art and the Impressionist Movement. Christopher lived in Italy for a time, immersing himself in Italian culture and art, which continues to influence his painting. His fan base has grown considerably since his return to the US, gaining the attention of Lucasfilm and Marvel Fine Art, which both signed him as an officially licensed artist in 2016. Other clients include George Lucas, Major League Baseball, Louisville Slugger...
Canvas, Oil
$3,159
H 51.19 in W 39.38 in D 0.79 in
Peacocks 36. Figurative Oil Painting, Colorful, Pop art, Animals, Polish artist
By Rafał Gadowski
Located in Warsaw, PL
RAFAŁ GADOWSKI (born in 1973) Studied at The European Academy of Arts in Warsaw Faculty of Painting, as well as at the Faculty of Graphic Art at the Cracow Academy of Fine Arts. He...
Canvas, Oil
$13,200Sale Price|20% Off
H 12 in W 9 in
Girl with Braided Hair, Raphael Soyer
By Raphael Soyer
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Raphael Soyer (1899-1987) Title: Girl with Braided Hair Year: Circa 1947 Medium: Oil on canvas Size: 12 x 9 inches; framed size, 19 x 16 inches Condition: Excellent Inscripti...
Canvas, Oil
Sold
H 23.25 in W 21.5 in
Young Love: Walking to School, Four Seasons Calendar Illustration
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Illustrated for the 1949 Four Seasons Calendar, published by Brown and Bigelow. A young girl holds a freshly-picked bouquet of flowers as she strolls alongside a boy who carries he...
Paper, Ink, Watercolor
Sold
H 38.25 in W 32.25 in
Hayseed Critic, Original Cover Painting for The Saturday Evening Post Magazine
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
First published on the July 21, 1928 cover of The Saturday Evening Post, Norman Rockwell’s Hayseed Critic showcases the artist’s signature warmth and wit. The humorous scene features...
Canvas, Oil
Sold
H 28 in W 23 in
Waiting Room, Doctor Office, Story Illustration for The Saturday Evening Post
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Medium: Oil on Canvas Dimensions: 28.00" x 23.00" Signed: Lower Right he Saturday Evening Post interior illustration, October 16, 1937 EXHIBITED: Art Museum of Western Virginia, R...
Canvas, Oil
The New Hat by Norman Rockwell
By Norman Rockwell
Located in New Orleans, LA
Norman Rockwell 1894-1978 American The New Hat Signed "Norman Rockwell" (lower right) Oil on canvas Few artists have ever captured the heart and imagination of America quite like...
Canvas, Oil
Sold
H 25.5 in W 21 in
A Trench Spade, Cover illustration for Judge Magazine, World War I Soldiers
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Original Judge magazine Cover, published May 25, 1918 This is a poignant scene depicting two young World War I soldiers passing time in their barracks playing a game of cards. Desp...
Canvas, Oil
A Crock of Gold
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Sign by Artist in Lower Right The present work was published as an illustration for Elizabeth Goudge's short story "A Crock of Gold" in the August 1938 issue of Woman's Home Companion. The story follows a family of five children on their summer vacation in Scotland. The kids set...
Oil
Character Study
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Signed 'NORMAN/ROCKWELL' bottom right; also dedicated 'My very best wishes/to/Sir Jay Chernis/Cordially/Norman Rockwell/November 3rd/1975' verso The present work belonged to Sir Jay...
Oil
Oil's First Century by Norman Rockwell
By Norman Rockwell
Located in New Orleans, LA
Norman Rockwell 1894-1978 American Oil's First Century Signed “Norman Rockwell” (lower right) Oil on canvas "Rockwell painted the American dream - bet...
Canvas, Oil
Sold
H 49.62 in W 39.75 in D 3 in
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...
Canvas, Oil
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...
Canvas, Oil
I Paint the Candidates (Norman Rockwell at the Barber)
By Norman Rockwell
Located in New Orleans, LA
Rich with narrative detail and wit, this self-portrait by the celebrated American illustrator Norman Rockwell was created for the October 20, 1964 issue of Look Magazine as part of t...
Paper, Charcoal
A Bright Future for Banking
By Norman Rockwell
Located in New Orleans, LA
Few paintings capture our hearts and imaginations as those by the great American illustrator Norman Rockwell. His very best paintings are those that reflect his own hopes and beliefs...
Canvas, Oil