Norman Rockwell's America

Generations of Americans have chuckled over, shaken their heads in agreement with, or recognized themselves in Norman Rockwell's homely settings of American life. Scenes such as that of a young boy leaving home alone for the first time, an expectant father in the waiting room of a maternity ward, a young girl trying out her first bit of makeup, or a nervous couple applying for a marriage license strike a responsive chord in each of us. This beautiful volume on Rockwell's America presents a new approach to the work of a greatly loved artist. Organized into sections such as Young Love, Home and Family, Growing up in America, Americans at Work, and The Sporting Life, it focuses on Rockwell's unique skill not only as an illustrator but also as a commentator on twentieth-century life in the United States over a period of more than half a century. Christopher Finch, who wrote Abrams' enormously popular The Art of Walt Disney, starts this book with a lively biography of Norman Rockwell, covering the full range of his activities and his phenomenally successful career as an illustrator. Discussing many paintings in detail, he shows, for example, how the artist's treatment of a setting tells a whole story, or how his emphasis on one element or another makes a powerful statement. Included in this volume are Rockwell paintings and magazine illustrations from his entire career, as well as his designs for calendars, advertisements, posters, and greeting cards. Every one of his covers for the old Saturday Evening Post is reproduced. With 659 illustrations, including 129 in full color, Norman Rockwell's America provides a feast for the eye and is certain to be treasured by Rockwell fans, collectors of Americana, and everyone interested in the development of art in the United States.Finch, Christopher is the author of 'Norman Rockwell's America' with ISBN 9780810980716 and ISBN 0810980711.