b. 1894 d. 1978
Site Affiliation: Norman Rockwell’s Stockbridge Studio at Norman Rockwell Museum
Norman Rockwell (1894-1978) is widely considered one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century. A beloved illustrator whose career began as a teenager and spanned seven decades, Rockwell painted 323 covers for The Saturday Evening Post, alongside hundreds of commissions for other leading publications. Millions of people viewed his work on the covers and pages of popular magazines. His legacy includes his iconic Four Freedoms paintings, inspired by President Roosevelt’s 1941 address to Congress, and his socially charged paintings for Look that chronicle and witness key moments in the 1960s civil rights struggle. Rockwell lived and worked in Stockbridge from 1953 until his death. Nationally famous, he was a visible and active member of the local community. In 1977, he received the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His work is collected and exhibited worldwide and continues to inspire new generations of artists and creators.
Primary Medium: Painting, Illustration
Primary Stylistic Term: Realism
Fun Fact: Rockwell loved opera music and often had his studio radio tuned to operatic performances, sometimes singing along.
Recommended Publications: My Adventures as an Illustrator: The Definitive Edition by Norman Rockwell (2019); American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell (2015); Norman Rockwell Drawings by Stephanie Haboush Plunkett and Jesse Kowalski (2022)