1938
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.
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
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
Santa
By Edgar Franklin Wittmack
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Signed Lower Right
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
A Man's Wife
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Medium: Charcoal and Pencil on Paper Dimensions: 31.00" x 23.75" Signature: Inscribed and Signed. Signed and inscribed 'To Steve Kovac/sincerely/Norman/Rockwell' (lower right) Proven...
Paper, Charcoal, Pencil
Crying on Santa's Lap, Original Christmas cover for The Saturday Evening Post
By George Hughes
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Original Christmas holiday cover for The Saturday Evening Post, published December 6, 1958 We’re thrilled to announce the acquisition of an original 1958 Christmas cover for The Sat...
Canvas, Oil
Norman Rockwell -- Dreams of Long Ago
By Norman Rockwell
Located in BRUCE, ACT
Norman Rockwell Dreams of Long Ago, 1976 Lithograph Hand signed lower right Edition 18 / 200 Image size 68 x 51 cm Sheet size 85 x 60 cm Dreams of Long Ago/Cowboy with Gramophone...
Lithograph
Antique Portrait of Santa Claus, Original Christmas Art
Located in Grand Rapids, MI
For those who collect antique Christmas items, this is incredibly rare to find from this period. Late 19th Century Signed: Lennhoff ? (Upper, Left) " Santa Claus ", circa 1890s P...
Canvas, Oil Pastel
Secrets, oil painting on canvas after Norman Rockwell
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Gavere, BE
Secrets, oil painting on canvas after Norman Rockwell The original painting was used for the cover of a 1942 Saturday Evening Post. Hand-painted edition after the Painting of Secre...
Canvas, Oil
Norman Rockwell Framed Lithograph Willie takes a step - 1971.
By Norman Rockwell
Located in Pembroke Pines, FL
Artist: Norman Rockwell Title: Willie Takes a Step Year: 1971 Dimensions: 18 x 24 Inches. Framed Approx.: 24 x 30 Inches. Edition: 69/200 Medium: Lithograph Condition: Excellent Sig...
Lithograph
Fireside Christmas
By Scott Fitzgerald
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork titled "Fireside Christmas" c. 1985 is an original color etching by American artist Scott Fitzgerald. It is hand signed, titled and numbered 158/250 in pencil by the artist. Published and printed by the artist. The image (plate mark) size is 11.5 x 17.65 inches, sheet size is 19.25 x 25.25 inches. it is in excellent condition, has never been framed. About the artist: Scott Fitzgerald received his Master’s Degree in Arts from California State University Fullerton, and went on to teach drawing and printmaking for 2 years at the university. During his college years, he focused his study in contemporary art and photography, creating mixed media works often with social comments. It was not until the sophomore year, he discovered the traditional art of etching in his printmaking class. Immediately, he embraced the complex and difficult technical process of making prints from etching on copper plates. Scott Fitzgerald established himself as a prominent printmaker in the next few years. With a strong interest in history, he accepted a commission to produce a series of etching depicting 15 Orange County historical landmarks. Besides producing very intricate prints in various sizes, he has engaged in many special projects. He worked with renowned English printer John Randle to produce a group of etchings...
Etching
Santa Claus Sexy Playboy Cartoon First African American Illustrator, Elmer Simms
By E. Simms Campbell
Located in Miami, FL
Santa has a quickie with Mom. Elmer Simms Campbell was the first African American Illustrator to work for major newsstand magazines. Published December, 1963 Signed in pencil lower...
Watercolor, Illustration Board, Pencil
