Rockwell, Norman

(1894-1978)

   Norman Rockwell was born in New York City and attended the Chase Art School in 1910. He quickly found work as a book and magazine illustrator and in 1913 became an editor and an illustrator for Boy’s Life magazine. He provided illustrations for many magazines and journals. However, he is best known for his covers for the Saturday Evening Post—he produced more than 320 between 1916 and 1963. Rockwell’s paintings focused on scenes from U.S. history and everyday life and always depicted warmth and humor. In 1943, he produced four paintings for the Saturday Evening Post representing the Four Freedoms. They had such an impact that they were used as war posters by the Office of War Information in support of war bonds, and it was estimated that they helped raise $130 million. Equally famous was Rockwell’s painting of Rosie the Riveter that appeared on the Saturday Evening Post cover on 29 May 1943. Beginning in 1963 Rockwell produced illustrations for Look magazine and portraits of such presidents as Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan. His work featured space flight, civil rights, and the war on poverty. Rockwell died on 8 November 1978 in his home with an unfinished painting on his easel. See also ART.