Norman Rockwell Show at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington DC
Highlights of the Norman Rockwell Show
Norman Rockwell (1894-1978) has always been popular with the crowds but tended to get less respect from art critics. That changed in 1997 when art historian Karal Ann Marling published a positive critique that sparked new appreciation of his draftsmanship and raised his auction prices to over $15 million. In the current show, Rockwell gets celebrated for his ability to tell a story in a single frame.
Telling Stories is arranged with mostly Spielberg holdings on the left and Lucas holdings on the right. Spielberg appears to have the stronger collection by far. A twelve-minute film inside the exhibit interviews both men about their attraction to Norman Rockwell starting with their childhood love of his Saturday Evening Post covers. One standout painting in the show is The Connoisseur depicting an old man standing in front of a Jackson Pollock-type painting. It was done in the 60s when many Post advertisers were criticizing Rockwell as old-fashioned and switching to TV commercials.
Visiting the Norman Rockwell Show at the Smithsonian in Washington DC
The Norman Rockwell show runs through January 2, 2011. It's free and no tickets are required. The Smithsonian website warns about possible long lines but there hasn't been much waiting time even during the opening month of July.
Visiting the Norman Rockwell Show Online
If you can't get to Washington DC, there's plenty to do online. The Smithsonian website includes a podcast and slideshow. There's also a special Flickr Group called Being Norman Rockwell where you can post your own photos of staged Rockwell scenes inspired by his paintings.To make it easier, there will be a cart with props available on occasional weekends in the museum courtyard. It's a fitting tribute to Rockwell's technique of casting models for his characters and working from staged settings much like the movie directors he inspired.
The Norman Rockwell show at the Smithsonian is a great reminder of how people survived the last depression. It's worth visiting in Washington DC or online.
Published by Anne Wright
Freelance writer and longtime student of Buddhism and nonprofit professional. As an AC Featured Arts & Entertainment Contributor, she draws on her experience in development and managerial positions with n... View profile
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4 Comments
Post a Commentgreat write up on this
I would so love to see this = big fan of Norman Rockwell!
Although I'm not particularly a fan of Americana, there are exceptions. I think I'd be curious about Norman Rockwell, but especially Currier & Ives -- oh, and Grandma Moses.
Sounds great.