N. Rockwell

For the past few years my Family and I have taken a trip up north to the Berkshires to visit the Norman Rockwell Museum. It became a tradition when my mother decided she was going to buy me his works called the four Freedoms. We spend the morning walking the museum then head an hour north to the Yankee candle factory and eat lunch at chandlers and wonder the factory for some Christmas shopping.

I thought what better an artist to write a paper on then one that is actually hanging on my walls with great meaning. Norman Rockwell is as American as apple pie and probably very different form other artists you may have seen in going to the MET and the Wadsworth.

Norman Rockwell was Born February 3^rd 1894 In an upper west side Manhattan. When he was young, his father would read all the great works to him as he sketched out the images that came to his head. His family encouraged his skill and sent him to various art schools. His first commission came while still a student at the Art League. He was asked to compose a set of 4 Christmas cards.

In 1916 Rockwell began his work on “The Saturday Evening Post”. This magazine shot him into fame with his whimsical characters on every front page. The Basement of his museum has a copy of every cover hung on the walls from floor to ceiling. A total of 321 covers were created.

The “Four Freedoms” were created During World War II. He called them “his personal contribution to the war effort". He thought of the freedoms after President Roosevelt Said that his hope for are nation was that every family have “Freedom of Speech,” “Freedom to Worship,” “Freedom from Want” and “Freedom from Fear”. They turned out to be so successful that the works toured in an exhibition that raised $139.9 million for the war.

The freedoms were published in the “Saturday Evening on 1943 in conjunction with essays. The paintings also ended up being reproduced as stamps for the US postal serves in the following years.

The museum does not allow photography and when I attempted to take pics of my works, the glare from the glass was showing so what you are seeing are internet images of the work I have in my Dinning room! I also included a few others as well. The strange figures are gargoyle figures out side the museum.

I also put a pic up of my very unhappy Emmy meeting the big guy for the first time! This was the very last thing we did so she had was done with our adventure by this point!