The most famous Rockwell paintings
- Scout at Ship's Wheel (1913)
- Santa and Scouts in Snow (1913)
- Boy and Baby Carriage (1916)
- Circus Barker and Strongman (1916)
- Gramps at the Plate (1916)
- Redhead Loves Hatty Perkins (1916)
- People in a Theater Balcony (1916)
- Cousin Reginald Goes to the Country (1917)
- Santa and Expense Book (1920)
- Mother Tucking Children into Bed (1921)
- No Swimming (1921)
- American Liberties The Four Freedoms) (1943)
- Freedom of Speech (1943)
- Freedom to Worship (1943)
- Freedom from Want (1943)
- Freedom from Fear (1943)
- Rosie the Riveter Rosie the Riveter) (1943)
- Going and Coming (1947)
- Bottom of the Sixth (1949)
- Saying Grace (1951)
- Girl at Mirror (1954)
- Breaking Home Ties (1954)
- The Marriage License (1955)
- The Scoutmaster (1956)
- Triple Self-Portrait (1960)
- Golden Rule (1961)
- The problem we all live with The Problem We All Live With) (1964)
- New Kids in the Neighborhood (1967)
- The Rookie
- Judy Garland (1969)
- Russian schoolchildren The Russian Schoolroom) (1967)
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An excerpt characterizing Rockwell, Norman
“Squeeg,” he said, throwing a purse with several gold pieces. “Gostov, count, my dear, how much is left there, but put the purse under the pillow,” he said and went out to the sergeant-major.Rostov took the money and, mechanically, putting aside and leveling heaps of old and new gold, began to count them.
- A! Telyanin! Zdog "ovo! Inflate me all at once" ah! Denisov's voice was heard from another room.
- Who? At Bykov's, at the rat's? ... I knew, - said another thin voice, and after that Lieutenant Telyanin, a small officer of the same squadron, entered the room.
Rostov threw a purse under the pillow and shook the small, damp hand extended to him. Telyanin was transferred from the guard before the campaign for something. He behaved very well in the regiment; but they did not like him, and in particular Rostov could neither overcome nor hide his unreasonable disgust for this officer.
- Well, young cavalryman, how does my Grachik serve you? - he asked. (Grachik was a riding horse, a tack, sold by Telyanin to Rostov.)
The lieutenant never looked into the eyes of the person with whom he spoke; His eyes were constantly moving from one object to another.
- I saw you drove today ...
“Nothing, good horse,” answered Rostov, despite the fact that this horse, bought by him for 700 rubles, was not worth even half of this price. “I began to crouch on the left front ...” he added. - Cracked hoof! It's nothing. I will teach you, show you which rivet to put.
“Yes, please show me,” said Rostov.
- I'll show you, I'll show you, it's not a secret. And thank you for the horse.
“So I order the horse to be brought,” said Rostov, wanting to get rid of Telyanin, and went out to order the horse to be brought.
In the passage, Denisov, with a pipe, crouched on the threshold, sat in front of the sergeant-major, who was reporting something. Seeing Rostov, Denisov frowned and, pointing over his shoulder with his thumb into the room in which Telyanin was sitting, grimaced and shook with disgust.
“Oh, I don’t like the good fellow,” he said, not embarrassed by the presence of the sergeant-major.
Rostov shrugged his shoulders, as if to say: "So do I, but what can I do!" and, having ordered, returned to Telyanin.
Telyanin sat still in the same lazy pose in which Rostov had left him, rubbing his small white hands.
"There are such nasty faces," thought Rostov, entering the room.
“Well, did you order the horse to be brought?” - said Telyanin, getting up and casually looking around.
- Velel.
- Come on, let's go. After all, I only came to ask Denisov about yesterday's order. Got it, Denisov?
- Not yet. Where are you?
“I want to teach a young man how to shoe a horse,” said Telyanin.
They went out onto the porch and into the stables. The lieutenant showed how to make a rivet and went to his room.
When Rostov returned, there was a bottle of vodka and sausage on the table. Denisov sat in front of the table and cracked pen on paper. He looked gloomily into Rostov's face.
“I am writing to her,” he said.
He leaned on the table with a pen in his hand, and, obviously delighted with the opportunity to quickly say in a word everything that he wanted to write, expressed his letter to Rostov.
- You see, dg "ug," he said. "We sleep until we love. We are the children of pg`axa ... but you fell in love - and you are God, you are pure, as on the peg" day of creation ... Who else is this? Send him to the chog "tu. No time!" he shouted at Lavrushka, who, not at all shy, approached him.
- But who should be? They themselves ordered. The sergeant-major came for the money.
Denisov frowned, wanted to shout something and fell silent.
“Squeeg,” but that’s the point, he said to himself. “How much money is left in the wallet?” he asked Rostov.
“Seven new ones and three old ones.
“Ah, skweg,” but! Well, what are you standing, scarecrows, send a wahmistg “a,” Denisov shouted at Lavrushka.
“Please, Denisov, take my money, because I have it,” said Rostov, blushing.
“I don’t like to borrow from my own, I don’t like it,” grumbled Denisov.
“And if you don’t take money from me comradely, you will offend me. Really, I have, - repeated Rostov.
- No.
And Denisov went to the bed to get a wallet from under the pillow.
- Where did you put it, Rostov?
- Under the bottom cushion.
- Yes, no.
Denisov threw both pillows on the floor. There was no wallet.
- That's a miracle!
“Wait, didn’t you drop it?” said Rostov, picking up the pillows one at a time and shaking them out.
He threw off and brushed off the blanket. There was no wallet.
- Have I forgotten? No, I also thought that you were definitely putting a treasure under your head, ”said Rostov. - I put my wallet here. Where is he? he turned to Lavrushka.
- I didn't go in. Where they put it, there it should be.
- Not really…
- You're all right, throw it somewhere, and forget it. Look in your pockets.
“No, if I didn’t think about the treasure,” said Rostov, “otherwise I remember what I put in.”
Lavrushka rummaged through the whole bed, looked under it, under the table, rummaged through the whole room and stopped in the middle of the room. Denisov silently followed Lavrushka's movements, and when Lavrushka threw up his hands in surprise, saying that he was nowhere to be found, he looked back at Rostov.
- Mr. Ostov, you are not a schoolboy ...
Rostov felt Denisov's gaze on him, raised his eyes and at the same moment lowered them. All his blood, which had been locked up somewhere below his throat, gushed into his face and eyes. He couldn't catch his breath.
- And there was no one in the room, except for the lieutenant and yourself. Here somewhere,” said Lavrushka.
- Well, you, chog "those doll, turn around, look," Denisov suddenly shouted, turning purple and throwing himself at the footman with a menacing gesture. Zapog everyone!
Rostov, looking around Denisov, began to button up his jacket, fastened his saber and put on his cap.
“I’m telling you to have a wallet,” Denisov shouted, shaking the batman’s shoulders and pushing him against the wall.
- Denisov, leave him; I know who took it,” said Rostov, going up to the door and not raising his eyes.
Norman Rockwell (born Norman Percevel Rockwell) (February 3, 1894, New York, New York - November 8, 1978, Stockbridge, Massachusetts) - American artist and illustrator. His work is popular in the United States, and he illustrated the covers of The Saturday Evening Post for four decades (321 covers).
Norman Rockwell was born in 1894 in New York, at the age of 14 he entered the New York School of Art (The New York School of Art (formerly The Chase School of Art), and two years later moved to the National Academy of Arts (Design) ( The National Academy of Design) Very soon, however, he transferred to creative team Art Students League, where he studied with Thomas Fogarty and George Bridgman. Fogarty's instruction in illustration prepared Rockwell for his first commercial commission. From Bridgman he learned the techniques he relied on throughout his long career.
Success came to Rockwell early. His first commission, four Christmas cards, he painted at the age of fifteen. As a teenager, he was hired as the lead artist for Boys' Life, the official publication of the Boy Scouts of America. Around the same period, Rockwell began successful career freelance artist, constantly receiving many commissions for illustrations for youth magazines.
When Rockwell was 21, he organized own studio. Very quickly, such publications as Life, Literary Digest and others began to order works for him. About a year later, Rockwell created his first magazine cover for The Saturday Evening Post. The illustrator has always held this magazine in high regard, speaking of it as the most accurate mirror of American life.
1926 Norman Rockwell Coucher de soleil, To lay down sun Huile sur Toile 61x51 cm
The period of the thirties and forties turned out to be the most fruitful in the career of an illustrator. Together with his wife and three sons, Rockwell moved from New York to the small town of Arlington, Vermont. The change of residence also affected Rockwell's work: he began to pay more and more attention to the depiction of American life in small towns. In 1943, inspired by the speech of President Franklin Roosevelt in Congress, Rockwell created his famous series of paintings "American Liberties" ("Four Freedoms"). In the prevailing atmosphere of commitment to democratic values in the United States, these works, which brought even greater fame to Rockwell, traveled all over the country with exhibitions, and the funds received from the exhibitions ($ 130 million) were used for military needs. However, in the same year, Rockwell had a great misfortune: his studio in Arlington burned down completely, and with it - a large number of his works.
In 1953, Rockwell moved with his family to Stockbridge, Massachusetts, where he continued to work tirelessly creating numerous illustrations, posters, advertising work, and more. In 1960, thanks to long and hard work, in which Rockwell was assisted by his son Thomas, the artist published an autobiographical book entitled "My Adventures as an Illustrator". The cover of the book was decorated with one of the most famous works of Rockwell - a triple self-portrait depicting him at work.
In 1963, Rockwell left The Saturday Evening Post and began painting for Look magazine. During the 10-year collaboration with this publication, Rockwell created many illustrations that reflected his own interests and worldview. He illustrated materials on civil law, poverty alleviation and space exploration.
In the early seventies, Rockwell entrusted his work historical society Old Corner House Stockbridge, which later became a museum (see Norman Rockwell Museum) named after him. And in 1970, the artist was awarded the most honorable award: the Presidential Medal of Freedom (Presidential Medal of Freedom) for his bright and characteristic images American life.
1918 Norman Rockwell Le Fort en Theme, The Fort in Topic Huile sur Bois 76x76 cm
1921 Norman Rockwell Baignade interdite, No Swimming Huile sur Toile 64x57 cm
1921 Norman Rockwell La Petite Maison, The Small House 71x61 cm
1923 Norman Rockwell Nostalgie, Nostalgia Couverture de Life
1928 Norman Rockwell Comment on repeint la hampe du drapeau, How the pole of the flag is repainted Huile sur Toile 69x53 cm
1930 Norman Rockwell Les Cours de la Bourse, Stock exchange Prices 97x76 cm
1931 Norman Rockwell Au Feu, With Fire Huile sur Toile 104x79 cm
1934 Norman Rockwell Le Genie de l "education, Genius of education Huile sur Toile 81x61 cm
1934 Norman Rockwell Marchandage, Bargaining Huile sur Toile 86x71 cm
1936 Norman Rockwell Quatuor chez le barbier, Quartet in the barber 91x69 cm
1938 Norman Rockwell Le Champion Huile sur Toile 76x61 cm
1938 Norman Rockwell Panne d "inspiration, Breakdown of inspiration Huile sur Toile 98x77 cm
1944 Norman Rockwell Willie et ses ancetres, Willie and his ancestors Huile sur Bois 34x27 cm
1943 Norman Rockwell Les Quatre libertes, la liberte du culte, Four freedoms, freedom of the worship Huile sur Toile 117x90 cm
1947 Norman Rockwell Sortie en Famille, Exit in Family Huile sur Toile 41x80 cm chacune
1948 Norman Rockwell Commerages Huile sur Toile
1948 Norman Rockwell Poisson d "avil, le magasin des curiosites, Poisson of avil, the store of curiosities
1951 Norman Rockwell Les Quatre champions, le golf, Four champions, the golf Huile sur Bois 34x30 cm
1951 Norman Rockwell Les Quatre champions, le basket-ball, Four champions, basketball Huile sur Bois 34x30 cm
1953 Norman Rockwell L "Oeil au beurre noir, The Black eye Huile sur Toile 86x76 cm
1954 Norman Rockwell Fillette au miroir, Young girl with the mirror Huile sur Toile 80x75 cm
1955 Norman Rockwell Le Critique d "art, Critic of art Huile sur Toile 100x cm
1956 Norman Rockwell Le Tiroir du bas, The Drawer of bottom Huile sur Toile 90x83 cm
1959 Norman Rockwell L "Arbre genealogique, The Family tree Huile sur Toile 117x107 cm
1961 Norman Rockwell La Regle d "Or, The Gold Rule Huile sur Toile 113x100 cm
1961 Norman Rockwell Les Jardins de Kensington Aquarelle 17x24 cm
1967 Norman Rockwell La Grand-Rue de Stockbridge a Noel, The Main street of Stockbridge with Christmas Huile sur Toile 67x243 cm
1932 Norman Rockwell Le Pont-Neuf Crayon et aquarelle 24x36 cm
1960 Norman Rockwell Triple Autoportrait, Triple Self-portrait Huile sur Toile 113x87 cm
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Norman Rockwell is a cult artist of the 20th century, on whose illustrations more than one generation of children grew up. He did not just draw, he told whole stories and always portrayed the characters with unusual warmth and sympathy, seasoning the pictures with a fair amount of humor.
website collected 20 paintings in which the master told the world stories from Everyday life in the smallest detail.
Fugitive, 1958
In his paintings, Rockwell depicted an ideal version of the world, filled with kindness and warmth. Usually, scenes where children run away from home should be disturbing and unsettling. But not here - a little fugitive who finds himself in a bar is surrounded by care and is protected. The boy himself is as if under guard in the center of the triangle - on the left, a policeman leaned towards him paternally, in the center the bartender smiles good-naturedly, and on the right, judging by the empty coffee cup, not so long ago another kind person was sitting. In the world of the artist, no child is in danger, and there is nothing more important for a police officer than to talk to a young fugitive and convince him to return home.
Rosie the Riveter, 1943
In the United States, during World War II, a national campaign was launched to encourage women who had never worked before to join the labor force. They mastered completely new areas of work, taking the traditional places of men who went to the front. Rockwell's painting clearly shows that work for a woman, even in a factory or plant, does not require the abandonment of femininity. The Rosie we see in the painting is determined to do her part to win the war. This is what has made "Rosie the Riveter" a true cultural icon in the United States.
The Problem We All Live With, 1964
A vivid illustration of the formation of racial equality in America in the 60s. The heroine of the picture - 6-year-old African-American girl Ruby Bridges, one of the first black students who were allowed to study in a "white" school, is accompanied by employees of the US Marshals Service. Behind you can see the inscriptions "KKK", the offensive "niger" and the trail of a tomato thrown at Ruby.
Table prayer, 1951
This work is imbued with the spirit of post-war America. With this illustration, the artist wanted to answer many questions of Americans: how, after going through violence and cruelty, to maintain faith in kindness and where to get the strength to look to the future with hope? The idea of the plot appeared thanks to one of the readers: before her eyes, a woman with a mischievous little boy ran into the cafe and, not at all embarrassed by the crowded hall, they froze in prayer for several minutes. Impressed by the story, Rockwell wrote the scene as authentically as if he had seen it himself.
This work has become the most expensive work of American realistic art - in 2013 it was sold for $ 46 million.
Moving from home, 1954
“I wanted to express how a father feels when his children leave home,” Rockwell said of this illustration. Father and son are sitting on a bench waiting for the train that will take their son to college. The son is excitedly waiting for the arrival of the train, which will take him to a new, adult life. The father feels exactly the opposite - he visibly drooped, clutching an unlit cigarette and a hat in his hands. The father has no choice but to wait for the imminent arrival of the train, which will take his son away from his home.
Girl with a black eye, 1953
By the joyful face of the girl, one can confidently say that she emerged from the fight as a winner. Now she is waiting for a call to the principal of the school. It is hardly possible to determine how the fight began and who initiated it, who exactly was defeated, but one thing is clear: the other one looks much worse than she. Look at the face of the woman who looks out of the classroom with sympathy - it is probably her teacher.
Election day, 1948
November 2, 1948 is the day of the US presidential election. The main contenders are Harry Truman and the famous governor of the state of New York, Thomas Dewey. No one believed that the Democrat Truman could defeat the flamboyant and well-loved Republican Dewey. The wife in the picture, an ordinary American, wants a simple and clear Truman to her. And the husband believes that smart Dewey is exactly what the country needs. When election night was over, it turned out that Truman had simply crushed Dewey. When the shock passed, analysts determined that ordinary Americans - workers, clerks and small shopkeepers - voted for Truman.
Saleswoman on Christmas Eve, 1947
Rockwell's paintings are real mini-stories about everyday life. Sometimes there is even a feeling that the illustrations are literally copied from our lives. If you look closely, the hands on the saleswoman's watch show 17:05 - we are sure she is happy that this working day has finally come to an end.
Marriage license, 1955
The sign on the door "Permission to Marry" begins to tell the story. This scene is full of contrasts, like many of the artist's paintings. Bright daylight coming through the window illuminates the old dark room. Compare how focused a young couple is and how superfluous a bored elderly clerk seems to be here. God knows how many testimonials he gave out in this shabby room. However, the clerk is at ease here - next to him is his cat, a heater and a flowering geranium on the window, which he clearly looks after. The calendar on the wall shows the date of the marriage - June 11, 1955.
Scout came to the rescue, 1941
Norman Rockwell didn't just paint American life. He preached universal values, he raised hope and faith in the national idea, because a smile and good nature saved in a difficult war time, and mutual assistance and decency came to the fore. He said: “In my paintings there is no place for dirt and ugliness. I paint life the way I would like it to be."
Good Friends, 1927
The artist invites us to see the touching world of children, real joy and immediacy. The light and bright painting of Norman Rockwell warms and reminds us of the main values of our life.
Soda, 1953
Rockwell took this idea from the stories of his son, who worked in a summer cafe. The young ladies didn't like to come to cafes for sodas and ice cream. A chubby guy in the corner of the picture looks at the seller and his fans offendedly: “What does he have (besides ice cream) that I don’t have?” This charming good nature, characteristic of Rockwell's paintings, is complemented by details to which the artist was especially scrupulous: the wooden floor behind the counter, the uncleaned dishes on the counter, or the reflection of the sugar bowl in the chrome napkin holder.
Four Freedoms: Freedom of Speech, 1943
The most notable work Rockwell is a series of "Four Freedoms" paintings inspired by Roosevelt's rights speech that we now take for granted. The plot for Free Speech was based on a real case: “I suddenly remembered how Jim Egerton stood up at a town meeting and said something that everyone present at it did not like. But he was given the opportunity to speak. Nobody told him to shut up. “Oh my God,” I thought. - Here it is. Freedom of speech"".
Four Freedoms: Freedom of Religion, 1943
This work contains more than deep meaning than it seems at first glance. 8 profiles show people of different faiths: a Protestant, a woman with a Catholic rosary, a man with a Jewish yarmulke and an African-American woman in the upper left corner. The soft golden light that fills the picture and the almost monotonous execution reflect how different, but at the same time, how similar the characters of this picture are.
Christmas meeting, 1948
One of the artist's most famous works is about Christmas. To make this painting truly alive, he depicted his own family- we can see him on the right side with an unchanged pipe in his teeth. In the center is his adult son, who returned home for the Christmas holidays in strong maternal hugs, because communication with children and grandchildren is the main joy for elderly parents.
Rockwell is one of the fathers of the visual identification of some beloved fictional characters eg Santa Claus. He was a fantastically prolific artist, leaving over 4,000 paintings, illustrations, and more. original works. Norman Rockwell's paintings are renowned for their classic aesthetics, clarity, and exemplary representation of everyday life.
Norman Rockwell was born in New York in 1894 and has early age I felt drawn to art. Until the age of 14, he attended art school, and then studied at the National Academy of Design and the Art Students League. Rockwell used techniques learned during his studies throughout his career.
The first success came to the artist at the tender age of 16, when he received an order for four Christmas cards. Soon he started his career as an independent artist and illustrator.
At the age of 22, Norman Rockwell drew his first cover for The Saturday Post magazine, a collaboration with which lasted 47 years. Over almost five decades, the artist has created 321 covers for this edition.
The 1930s and 1940s are considered the most fruitful in creative way American illustrator. During this period, Rockwell remarried, started a family, and moved to a small town in Vermont. The city of Arlington inspired the artist to create the most famous domestic scenes American life.
Rockwell spent the years of World War II in writing. He was deeply inspired by the cause of justice and American President Franklin Roosevelt, which in 1943 led to the release of the famous series of paintings called "American Freedoms" ("Four Freedoms"). The work, which was consistently published in the Saturday Evening Post, instantly gained fame. This was followed by a tour of the United States. The exhibitions managed to earn more than 130 million dollars, which went to the needs of the military industry.
After incredible success Norman Rockwell lost his precious studio in a fire the same year. He and his family moved to Massachusetts, and in 1953 his wife died suddenly. However, in 1960, the artist rallied and, with the help of his son, published an autobiographical book, My Adventures as an Illustrator.
In 1961, the artist married for the third time and began to collaborate with Look magazine. The ten-year activity with the new publishing house is marked by socially engaged films that raise issues of civil rights and poverty, as well as debut space flights.
Norman Rockwell received the highest civilian honor in the United States, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in 1977. The artist died in 1978 in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, at the age of 84, having completed a long and amazing life.
Most of Norman Rockwell's paintings are public collections throughout America, but many of them were destroyed as a result of fires and other cataclysms. In addition to works on canvas, he illustrated books, calendars, postcards and other publications in a very recognizable and eloquent style, evoking warm feelings and a familiar mood in the viewer. Norman Rockwell's paintings are as iconic as their author.
Paintings by Norman Rockwell:
Boy and Girl Looking at the Moon, 1926
A romantic representation of the love of two children looking at the moon. This is a typical early work by Norman Rockwell. The illustration is filled with sentimental idealism and perhaps borders on kitsch.
"Santa reads mail", 1935
Another "everyday" scene. This time, the main character is an imaginary Santa Claus, but he is presented so realistically that the picture breathes with the irresistible magic of the Christmas holidays.
"Freedom of Speech", 1943
One of the works included in the American Liberties series, inspired by a speech by Franklin Roosevelt in 1941. This picture was first published in the Saturday Evening Post, and then in a related essay. Norman Rockwell considered it the best of the series along with the painting "Freedom of Faith".
"Freedom of Faith", 1943
The power of painting lies in the portrait close-up, archetypal symbols, distinctly devotional expressions. It upholds the right of every person to freedom of religion.
"Freedom from want", 1943
The third painting in the American Liberties series. An image of a Thanksgiving dinner scene of people with family and friends. The painting is considered one of the most iconic, representing the Thanksgiving holiday.
"Freedom from Fear", 1943
The last of the four freedoms. It reflects the experiences associated with the Second World War. Parents carefully put their children to bed, while the strategic bombing of Great Britain by Nazi Germany is raging.
"Art Critic", 1955
Norman Rockwell humorously portrayed an art expert who is very anxiously trying to confirm the authenticity of the work. He looks awkward, boring and funny.
"Triple self-portrait", 1960
The most famous self-portrait of the famous artist. It covers all three of the most famous traits his personality is humor, humility and his own vocation with a lot of details borrowed from his daily life.
"Portrait of John F. Kennedy", 1960
One of the most famous portraits of the deceased american president J. F. Kennedy. The portrait was commissioned and executed before Kennedy became leader of the nation, at the time he was a senator and presidential candidate.
Norman Rockwell ((English) Norman Percevel Rockwell; February 3, 1894, New York, NY - November 8, 1978, Stockbridge, Massachusetts), whose paintings are adored by millions of Americans, is a cult artist of the twentieth century. His name has become synonymous with America's most popular magazine, The Saturday Evening Post, with which he has collaborated for nearly 50 years. More than one generation of children have grown up on Rockwell's illustrations, inspired by his work. Renowned director George Lucas remembers running from school as fast as he could every time a new issue of the magazine came out: “After all, everything that the artist depicted was part of my life”. Rockwell was an amazing storyteller, and his characters had an almost magical effect on children.
How did Rockwell work?
Possessing an incredible ability to work, Norman Rockwell created 4,000 paintings, while saying: "I don't have enough time to write everything I want". A gifted storyteller, Rockwell rarely painted pictures from his imagination. He had his own method of work - the director's method! The most difficult thing, the artist admitted, was to choose an idea that would be interesting to both the housewife and the politician. When the plot was found, Rockwell began to search for models, more often they were members of his family, friends or neighbors. The artist carefully thought out costumes and furnishings, and for a long time he was looking for poses for his "characters". When all the details future picture he was satisfied, he began to make the final composition. Since the 1930s, Rockwell has been hiring photographers to speed up the process.For one picture, he could use up to a hundred photographs, composing and thinking through the composition up to the smallest details. His early work reminiscent of scenes from a silent movie. By the 1940s, they become more complex and interesting in composition, there are paintings-stories in which complex scenarios are played out.
During the Second World War, the artist decided to tell what American soldiers were fighting for and created his most famous cycle, The Four Freedoms. "These paintings mean more to me than anything I've done before," said Rockwell. He wrote Freedom from Fear, Freedom of Speech, Freedom from Want, and Freedom of Religion. These human rights were to become generally accepted throughout the world, they sounded in Roosevelt's address in 1941 and inspired the artist to work. The exhibition "Four Freedoms" traveled all over America, and collected $ 132 million, which was transferred to the military. One more military series the artist wrote about the soldier Willie Gillis, depicting his life before and during the war.
Third marriage and later work
Due to his wife's illness, the Rockwells moved to Stockbridge in 1953. For the last ten years of her life, Mary suffered from depression and was treated in a psychiatric hospital. She died in 1959. Norman's friends recall his confusion. The artist undertakes to write his biography ("My Adventures as an Illustrator"). On the cover of the book, the artist placed the most famous self-portrait.Two years later, Rockwell remarried and again to a teacher, albeit a pensioner, Molly Penderson. Every day, the inhabitants of the small town watched the happy couple ride their bikes.
During the 1960s, Rockwell collaborated with Look magazine and became increasingly interested in civil rights in America ("New Neighbors", "Golden Rule"). He has his own political preferences. The artist greatly respected and appreciated Eisenhower's policies. One day, Eisenhower invited Rockwell to an official dinner in Washington. The artist was very worried, preparing for the meeting, and took a sedative, afraid to make an unfavorable impression on the president. However, everything went well. In 1974, Rockwell was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States.
The artist lived for 84 years and at the end of his life admitted: “The secret of many long-lived artists is that each painting is a new adventure for them. So, you see, they are always looking ahead, waiting for something new and exciting. The secret is not to look back.".
