Road Trip TwoGether

Day 22: 9/28/14
We spent much of the morning at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA. Rockwell did over 4,000 paintings; each had a study of several drawing prior to the finished painting. In the lower level of the museum there is currently a collection of all 360 Saturday Evening Post covers. His last Post covers was the John Kennedy Memorial issue.

He is known as an illustrator. An artist paints a picture...an illustrator paints a story.

The Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge, MA.

Our docent.

Figuring the tip.

"Thanksgiving" In the first version the mother was looking at the turkey coming out of the oven. Rockwell realized that the mother would have her attention directed toward her son just back from the war. He started over with the above painting with only four days to delivery. When he delivered it he told the people at Saturday Evening Post "Don't touch it. It's still wet."

One of the favorite paintings of most everyone in the room was the triple self-portrait. A few thing that were pointed out: Notice there is no reflection in his glasses... he didn't want to see himself as he was (Aging). Notice there are no glasses on the painted portrait. The face in the painted portrait is much younger. (almost a Bing Crosby look)

The Four Freedoms
The four freedoms refer to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's January 1941 Four Freedoms State of the Union address in which he identified essential human rights that should be universally protected.

Freedom from fear.

Freedom of speech

Freedom from want

Freedom of religion

Bond purchasers received full-color reproduction sets. During the 16-city tour, which included various celebrities, public officials, and entertainers, approximately 1.2 million people throughout the United States viewed the paintings, which helped to raise $132 million ($18.533 million for the Second Loan Drive alone) for the war effort though the sale of war bonds. According to The New Yorker in 1945, the Four Freedoms "were received by the public with more enthusiasm, perhaps, than any other paintings in the history of American art.

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Kellogg Corn Flakes Kids

When asked if he ever made any paintings for Sun Maid Raisins he said "I don't think so". When shown the pictures he came back with. "I must have...That's my mother-in-law".

An advertisement for Raybestos Brakes.
Notice the expression of protective care
in the woman's eyes.

His first job as an illustrator was for Boys Life Magazine for the Boy Scouts of America.

Rockwell was asked to do a painting commemorating the opening of one of the dams out west. This was the picture he submitted. It was not published.

The Gossip

Norman's wife Mary.

The faces for this picture were of local towns people. His wife told him that this would stir up trouble. To lessen the impact one of the faces is his wife. The lady who started the gossip, in the painting, did not talk to Norman for over eight months after it was published.

As the artist examines the painting
the subject seems to enjoy the attention. A bit of Rockwell humor.

Our docent stopped to talk to us one on one

There were so many I just can't share them all. With my camera I could zoom in and eliminate the frames which gives a more straight-on perspective.

"The Discovery"This is one of Linda's favorite

After the museum we went to the Norman Rockwell Studio. The studio was relocated to the museum grounds from behind his South Street home. The move took two days. Some of the town's children had time off from school to watch.