American Artist and Illustrator Norman Rockwell

Norman Rockwell (ca. 1920), via the Library of Congress

Who is the American artist and illustrator Norman Rockwell? What is the significance of the artwork of this American master of visual storytelling? It has taken me many years to break down and overcome a serious snobbery towards the artwork of Norman Rockwell. As a student of the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, I was taught in a classical art environment and art history started with the Venus of Willendorf and concluded with Abstract Expressionism. Not one of my professors ever included the artwork of Norman Rockwell in an art history lesson or slide show– it is almost as if he never existed. Now I have a different view of this underrated American painter, illustrator, and storyteller.

Norman Rockwell (1894-1978) is one of those lucky and driven individuals who always knew he wanted to be an artist. Beginning at a young age, Rockwell studied in New York City at the New York School of Art, the National Academy of Design, and the Art Students League. At the Art Students League Rockwell joined the likes of Georgia O'Keeffe, Thomas Hart Benton, Jackson Pollock, Cy Twombly, Helen Frankenthaler, Lee Bontecou, Robert Rauschenberg, Al Held, and Roy Lichtenstein who also attended this esteemed New York City art institution.

The Early Career of Norman Rockwell

In 1913, 19-year-old, Norman Rockwell was hired to be the art director for Boys’ Life magazine, where he began his career in painting magazine covers. Rockwell created magazine covers for the Saturday Evening Post, The Country Gentleman, Leslie’s Weekly, Life Magazine, and Look.

Rockwell moved from New York to a small town in Vermont and later in 1953 to Stockbridge, Massachusetts another small, quaint New England town. (Population in 2020 was 2,018) There is no doubt that small-town life influenced his artwork significantly.

Norman Rockwell’s body of work reveals a prolific artist who created over 4,000 original artworks. Art schools are notoriously snobby about the work of Norman Rockwell which for some art critics has been judged as being too sappy and sentimental. Perhaps it is another stroke against Rockwell’s artistic reputation that his artwork has been reproduced commercially onto tea towels, key chains, postcards, and plates ad infinitum. It is interesting to note that in 1999 the New Yorker art critic Peter Schjeldahl wrote in ArtNews, “Rockwell is terrific. It’s become too tedious to pretend he isn’t.” I feel like I finally have permission to appreciate Norman Rockwell.

Freedom From Want, 1942 courtesy the National Archives

Rockwell As Social Commentarian

In the later artwork of Norman Rockwell, he tackles the serious subjects of racism, war, poverty, and the freedoms of the United States constitution. The context of some of Rockwell’s artwork elevates him from an illustrator to an artist of social commentary. Perhaps the best part of Norman Rockwell’s artwork is his unique ability to tell a story with his pictures, to capture humanity in one take, and the sense of love, care, and humor he imbues into his images. 'Beloved' is often an adjective attached to all things Norman Rockwell, and while it is cliche it is also true. Norman Rockwell tugs on our heartstrings effectively through his paintings.

A case in point is the iconic painting Freedom From Want which shows an American family at the Thanksgiving table. Everyone smiles as the grandmotherly figure sets the giant roast turkey onto a fresh white tablecloth. In the lower right, a pair of warm male eyes gaze back into the viewers making it feel like a snapshot of this special holiday moment. Most people refer to this well-known work of art as The Thanksgiving Picture. This important series of paintings was inspired by a speech given by Franklin Delano Roosevelt on January 6, 1941, referred to as the Four Freedoms speech. Rockwell went on to create paintings that represent Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, and Freedom From Fear.

Freedom of Speech, Photo Courtesy Wikimedia.

The Painting Style of Rockwell

Perhaps another strike against the art of Norman Rockwell is that it is somewhat outdated. He is an illustrator who earned his bread and butter in the now-defunct art of magazine cover illustration, a task that has been taken over by photography. (Unless you are The New Yorker, of course.) As an illustrator, the style of Rockwell's artwork might be dubbed painterly realism. We can see the brushstrokes in his paintings yet they are also quite realistic and have a photo-realism quality. While there are few Norman Rockwell illustrator imitators today, it is a testament to his skill and classical painting background that his style and ability to illustrate are hard to duplicate. Rockwell’s artwork is unique, expert, and difficult to copy.

Photo courtesy Wikimedia.

Boy With Baby Carriage, 1917

In this classic Norman Rockwell painting, a well-dressed young man is furiously pushing a fancy old-fashioned baby carriage while two young men of the same age pass him and make faces at him. I love the touches of red in this painting-- the baby's shoe, the boys' shirts, and the carriage pushers carnation. Are the boys related? Are they on the same baseball team? Are they total strangers? The story in my head goes something like this. The boys are on the same baseball team and the ones in uniform just came from a winning game. The carriage pusher is also on the baseball team but is unable to join because he has to take care of his baby sister-- the pink trim on the clothing and the baby bottle in the breast pocket are the two big visual clues here.

Maybe it's more of a class war? The well-dressed young man pushing the baby carriage seems as if he could be from a very upper-crust family while the two baseball boys are posturing in sarcastic politeness as if to emphasize that they were able to play while the posh boy had to work. Rockwell doesn't help us out with the title, Boy With Baby Carriage, so the viewer will have to have some leeway as to how they envision the meaning of the painting.

Where to Find Rockwell's Artwork

You can find original paintings and artwork by Norman Rockwell at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, Texas, the Columbus Museum of Art in Ohio, the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., the Los Angeles County Museum in California, the Sheldon Museum of Art in Lincoln, Nebraska, the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, and the National Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C., just to name a few.

Finally, if an artist is to be judged by how influential he is, Norman Rockwell is one of the greats. Filmmakers are devotees of Rockwell’s lighting and composition as is evidenced in the references made in such films as Empire of the Sun, Forrest Gump, The Polar Express, and American Gangster. It is time to celebrate the important artwork of Norman Rockwell not only as one of the most popular American artists and illustrators of the twentieth century but also as one of the most influential.

Read more about Norman Rockwell and his 4-painting series of Freedoms, beginning with one of the artist's most famous works, Freedom From Want.

Going to an Art Museum May Be Good for your Mental Health

                            

Photo by Mary Rayme

When we think about good health, we often think of good nutrition, sufficient sleep, and plenty of physical activity. While healthy food and regular workouts are essential to good physical and mental health, what we choose to look at and experience also greatly impacts our day-to-day health. To nourish your soul and psyche, I recommend a visit to an art museum. I realize that not everyone has access to a great art museum but if you do and have never visited an art museum, this article is meant to be a good place to start.

Find a Museum Near You
Hopefully, you don’t have to go very far to find an art museum near you, most larger cities have one or two. Not all art museums are created equal. Do your research and determine whether the time, travel, and possible entrance fee is likely to be a positive experience. If modern art is not appealing to you, seek out a museum such as the Walters Art Museum, also in Baltimore. They have some 20th-century artworks but they also have a collection of antiquities such as reliquaries, illuminated manuscripts, Egyptian artwork, and Greek vases. Also for consideration, while many art museums have no admission fee they may charge for parking. Remember to set yourself up for a great visit to a museum.

Find an Artwork Friend
Find a painting, sculpture, drawing, or photograph that you feel deserves or needs more looking time. I know that when I walk through an art museum, not all artworks get careful scrutiny. My eye and body tend to linger in front of works that pull me in for one reason or another. Perhaps I am intrigued with the color, the way the brush strokes are applied, or the overall mood of a work. Let the art grab your attention and keep you longer.

Judith Slaying Holofernes by Artemisia Gentileschi, 1611-12

Read the Label, or Not

Because I am an art history addict I read most of the labels for several reasons. First, I want to confirm or disprove that this is the work of the artist who I identified by style. Finally, titles can often provide clues as to the subject matter of the painting. For example, if you see a very realistic painting of a woman cutting off the head of a man with a large sword you may be puzzled by this. When you look at the label and see “Judith Slaying Holofernes” you can remind yourself that this is a depiction of a scene that is in the Book of Judith. Putting some subject matter in context is very helpful.

Mont Sainte-Victoire by Paul Cézanne, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

When I visit the Baltimore Museum of Art I have a favorite painting of Mount Saint-Victoire by the French artist Paul Cezanne that I have to visit every time. Even though I have seen dozens of paintings by Cezanne on this subject matter, this painting never fails to pull me in for a good long look. This sustained observation of a beautiful work of art is for me both meditation and inspiration. My mind goes blank as my eye drifts slowly around this wonderful canvas, and I take in those powerful and brief brushstrokes as well as the blank white spaces that Cezanne chose to keep paintless. My breathing slows and I can feel my blood pressure lowering almost immediately, no prescription drugs are necessary. I am transported in time as well and try to imagine the cranky master, Paul Cezanne, outside painting this mountain in France in all kinds of weather.

Photo By Mary Rayme, 2022

You may want to perform an art museum recon mission of walking through an entire floor quickly, and then deciding where you want to spend your quality looking and seeing time. Better yet, get a map or ask at the information desk about the floor plan of the museum. On a recent visit to the Staatsgalerie in Stuttgart, we were greeted by a very knowledgeable docent who asked us what we wanted to see. I knew that I was in a large world-class museum and knew that I did not want to fast walk through the whole museum to cram all its art goodies down my throat in a couple of hours. I was more interested in seeing more contemporary art than old art so the docent pointed us in the direction of 20th-century art. We did have a map but having an actual conversation with a real person was so much more pleasant than trying to read a map. The next time I return, I will see the older artwork and then return to the highlights of the contemporary art collection.

Below are some tips to help you make the most of your museum experience:

• Wear comfortable shoes when you go to an art museum, as these buildings tend to have floors that are made of cement and marble. Do not wear flip-flops. Do have arch support. The physical activity of walking from gallery to gallery and perhaps up and down stairs is part of the journey through the art museum– physical activity adds points to your mental health too.

• If you have accessibility issues I recommend calling ahead to figure out what your options are and how much of the museum is wheelchair accessible and/or Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant. I would also ask if disability parking spaces are available to museum visitors.

• If you have wiggle room in your schedule, I recommend that you choose a time to visit the museum that is less crowded on a weekday morning perhaps.

• If at all possible, travel lightly. Many art museums have lockers where you may stash your stuff, but this requires an extra step. On a recent art museum visit, I accidentally tried to carry in a water bottle and was told I needed to get a locker downstairs which was just fine– I am willing to sacrifice the comfort of my water bottle for security. Museums have rules. They also have amazing art. To enter and look you need to abide by the rules.

• You are not required to like or respond to everything you see in an art museum. I would challenge any art museum visitor to at least question why they like or dislike a work of art. Even better, have a conversation about it with your museum buddy.
• Get a museum buddy! I love going to an art museum alone but I also love going with another devotee of art history. Get lunch with your museum buddy while you are there and catch up only each others life.
• Many museums these days are free, offer significant discounts to students and senior citizens, or have cost-saving membership packages. 

• Don’t touch the artwork! Seriously. If every visitor touched artworks they would fall apart from skin oils alone. 

• Be observant of any barriers in front of works of art. There art some large canvases at the National Museum of Art in Washington DC at the Smithsonian that have alarms that go off if you get too close. This is to protect the artwork. 

• If there is no barrier, it is acceptable to get up fairly close to a painting or sculpture to observe and appreciate finer details. Many art museum-goers may perform an observational dance of looking at a painting from far away and then diving in to get a closer look. Be aware of others who may be doing the same dance to avoid crowding others or bumping elbows.

• Be sensitive to what you see and what brings you pleasure or fulfillment. If good art is good for you, bad art can also have a detrimental effect. (You know that feeling you get when you watch too much TV or eat too much junk food? Same deal.)

• Consider having a coffee, snack, or meal in the art museum restaurant to break up the walking and to have a small rest. If you are with a family or group, consider starting a discussion by asking everyone to name their favorite artwork that they have seen so far and why. 

• Check out the gift shop. Really. I really love browsing a good art museum gift shop and have sometimes purchased items such as art postcards, jewelry, or art supplies. The Baltimore Museum of Art gift shop is outstanding and I just adore their selection of items that give it a local, Baltimore feel. In many museums, you do not have to pay an entrance fee to shop at the gift shop.

• Many art museums have photography restrictions. If you plan on photographing any of the artworks in the museum you need to observe the photo restrictions. Most museums do not allow flash photography as the light degrades the artwork.

The Sorrowing Soul between Doubt and Faith by

Elihu Vedder at the BMA, photo by the author

• Be respectful of the museum guards-- they work hard to keep the art safe and to answer directional and wayfinding questions. The last time I visited the Baltimore Museum of Art, a security guard lead me to a painting that I have to visit every time, The Sorrowing Soul Between Doubt and Faith by Elihu Vedder. I like the idea of the responsibility of the museum guards overlapping with the docents. Don’t look too long at art. Just as too much good food can make you ill, looking at art for longer than two hours or so is visually exhausting, so don’t overdo it. I personally am visually exhausted, overstimulated, and a bit giddy at the end of a good museum visit.

I am often left inspired and uplifted by a visit to an art museum. Each work of art is a message from a fellow human left just for me, the viewer. I like to write down the names of artists I have never heard of but would like to know more about. The artists and paintings I am familiar with already greet me like old friends. If you need proof that a museum visit is good for your health you can read about several studies that provide evidence that this may be true. So get up, go out and visit an art museum and see if this experience has a positive impact on your mental health.

The Great Textbook War, 1974, Kanawha County, West Virginia

Photo courtesy West Virginia Humanities

This is an older blog post but given the current abundance of book banning in the United States, I thought there was a need to bring back this article about a great radio production from American RadioWorks about The Great Textbook War of 1974 in Kanawha County, West Virginia.

West Virginia Demographic Information

For some context about West Virginia in 1974, the racial makeup of the state was 95.6% white. In comparing that to current statistics, West Virginia has about the same population as it did in 1974 and the racial makeup of the state is 93.5%, according to the United State Census Bureau. In other words, West Virginia remains one of the whitest states in the USA. (For context, my home state of Maryland is about 58.5% white.)

Civil Rights Movement Encouraged a Different Point of View

There was a huge explosion in the promotion of multiculturalism in education during the Civil Rights Movement in America, which many still consider a work in progress. In 1974, the country was at war in Vietnam and Richard Nixon resigned as President of the United States over the Watergate scandal. Public school textbooks that had previously only taught the history from the point of view of white colonists were encouraged to present the history of multiple ethnicities and cultures. I think it is also worth mentioning that in 1972, President Richard Nixon visited China and opened up diplomatic relations, another step in expanding multiculturalism in the US.

Kanawha County in West Virginia houses the state capital of Charleston but also encompasses farmlands and hollows that are quite rural. This clash of cultures and shift in thinking led to the Great Textbook War of Kanawha County, West Virginia in 1974.

For more context, as a young white girl growing up in Baltimore City, the African American population was about 46% in 1970. And yet, my first textbooks featured two white children Dick and Jane who were growing up in the suburbs with a nuclear family. Many places in the United States were re-writing history books to include the presence and accomplishments of African Americans and women.

Conservative Values in West Virginia

In part, the divide between the Kanawha County Board of Education was cultural. A conservative Kanawha County Board of Education member Alice Moore had campaigned to become elected to the school board by protesting sex education being taught in schools. At first, her disagreement was over allowing students to use colloquialisms in school rather than formally accepted standards of the King’s English. Later these parents’ concerns spread to the content of the textbooks including disagreeing about the writings of people like Eldridge Cleaver and Malcolm X included in the curriculum. 

So in part, the divide in Kanawha County that led to violence and discord was racial. While urban Charleston may have had a small percentage of blacks and minorities, rural Charleston had almost none. Many rural West Virginians resented the idea of outsiders coming in and telling them what they had to teach their children. 

Photo courtesy WV Encyclopedia/Charleston Newspapers

Fundamental Christian Values in WV

The other part of the cultural divide between rural and urban was religious. In urban Charleston, most of the citizens went to traditional denominations of Christian churches such as Episcopal, Methodist, and Catholic. Rural Kanawha County residents tended to belong to nondenominational churches and more conservative Christian denominations such as Baptist. An example in a proposed textbook included an Aesop fable that compares itself to a Bible story. Some took this as an implication that the Bible was merely a myth or fairy tale undermining the traditional Christian values of rural Kanawha County, West Virginia.

The disagreement and protest became so bitter over the textbooks that a school strike was begun. Estimates are between 20-50 percent of the Kanawha County school children stayed home as part of the school strike. Even coal miners went on strike to show solidarity with the textbook protest. While some protested the textbook, students at George Washington High School walked out of school protesting the censorship of the books. 

KKK Supports Textbook Banning

Even the Ku Klux Klan showed up to support those protesting the textbooks adding further fuel to the fire that this was a race-based protest. Cars were set on fire and fifteen sticks of dynamite were detonated near a Board of Education office just after a meeting let out. At one point in the Textbook Wars, a fistfight breaks out at a Board of Education meeting. Midway Elementary School at Campbell’s Creek was dynamited one night in protest of the textbooks.  

So who won the Great Textbook War? The fallout from the textbook wars was perhaps mixed. Textbook protesters claimed victory as many of the books were never used in the county. Textbook supporters claimed victory that the books were in some of the schools even though some teachers were afraid to use the books.

The award-winning radio show concludes with a quote by teacher and textbook selection committee member Nell Wood who says,

“I think it is necessary for us to grow up and recognize that it’s a big, wide, wonderful, scary, ugly, beautiful world. There’s everything in it and we have to learn to look at it and not fall apart.” 

These are great words to remember as we plod forward to the current culture wars that are apparent in the United States of America.

Listen to The Great Textbook War by Trey Kay, Deborah George, and Stan Bumgardner on American RadioWorks at the American Public Media. 

http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/textbooks/

• 52 minutes

• 2010 Peabody Award Recipient

You can read more about this chapter in American history in the online West Virginia Encyclopedia here where they very politely refer to it as the Kanawha County Textbook Controversy.