In defense of Norman Rockwell

[james_davis_nicoll]

From a discussion of the American War! on! Christmas!:

But what she was really doing in the first instance, though, was standing up for America's aggrieved white Christians, a cohort that's watched in frustration as ethnic populations have grown in size and political power, causing Norman Rockwell's America to fade before their eyes.

Now it is true Rockwell's American includes scenes like this:




But not only is that a reference to FDR's Four Freedom's speech, Rockwell's America also included scenes like this:

Comments

[nojay.livejournal.com]

I wonder about that first picture -- was the white-haired old Granny on steroids or what? Look at her stance, the way's she's handling a 20-kilo load of bird and stuffing at arm's length without apparent effort. Is she using a powered exoskeleton or is this just Thanksgiving on Planet Krypton?

[agharta75.livejournal.com]

Thanksgiving dinners at my aunt's house actually did look like that picture, complete with curtains, wallpaper, picture frame, and grandparents at the head of the table next to the window.

[mmcirvin.livejournal.com]

Rockwell may have ultimately been poorly served by working for the Saturday Evening Post. I recall reading somewhere recently that he eventually chafed at their content guidelines.

[chris-gerrib.livejournal.com]

The people pining for "Rockwell's America" tend to gloss over the reality of the period. Many of them were small children at the time (or not even born) and so what they really want is what they remember. This remembrance is heavily influenced by 1950s TV, in which "Four Freedoms" were not seen.

[keithmm.livejournal.com]

.

[bruce munro (from livejournal.com)]

I'm really not seeing why Black, Asian, Hispanic, interracial or gay grandparents can't do an equally good job of serving turkey to large families.

(Definitely a 50s - early 60s meal; look how vegetables are represented on the table by a few anemic stalks of celery. :) )

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

Howabout one of my favorite views of what proper femininity looks like?


The people who long for Norman Rockwell's America (without actually knowing what that means) rarely think that "Well, yeah, but you should have seen the other guy" is an appropriate message to give to girls.

[wild-patience.livejournal.com]

We saw the exhibit of his work last year in Sacramento, California. It is a most impressive body of work.

When I look at the top painting, I can't help but think of Anya: "I know a ritual sacrifice when I see it."

If anything's been "hidden" about Norman Rockwell it's this....

[jane petrick (from livejournal.com)]

May I suggest that an important aspect of Rockwell's work that does reflect a real and ongoing concern in American life has been strangely overlooked in virtually all commentary on the man.

If Norman Rockwell was depressed about anything, it was about the level of racial injustice in the world and, what seemed to him, his often thwarted or "hidden" attempts to confront it. My book on Rockwell, "Hidden in Plain Sight: The Other People in Norman Rockwell's America" which also came out this fall (to much less fanfare than Deborah Solomon's), addresses this theme. The back cover quotes Rockwell: "I just wanted to do something important."

Failure to address this very salient aspect of Rockwell's life and work until now might just be another example of a reluctance to turn any mirror on the troubling, "non-artsy" issue of race. Rarely does it make money for gallery owners or make for good party conversation.