Saturday, February 5, 2011

Norman Rockwell (February 3, 1894 – November 8, 1978)

                                                                                      
The Connoisseur
1962 

Some view Rockwell plainly as a sentimentalist or even as a kitsch artist. His contemporary, for example, Edward Hopper, detested Rockwell, whom he viewed as too reliant on photographs and too simple in message. Yet, despite all of the criticism, even if you detest the content, you have to admire his skillful technique and his amazing sense for composition. As for opinion, he certainly inserts his into pieces such as The Connoisseur. And, personally, I can't think of a better made and better named painting of the Jazz Age than And the Symbol of Welcome is Light.


The Runaway
1958

Solitaire
1950

The US Army Trades
1919

The Land of Enchantment
1934

And the Symbol of Welcome is Light
1920 

2 comments:

  1. The last painting you have up reminds me of the Magritte painting " The Domain of Light"

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  2. Andrew, I see what you mean. They're thematically similar, though I think Magritte's painting has more in common stylistically with Hopper's work. The last painting always makes me think, perhaps banally, of The Great Gatsby.

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