The American Classic

Norman Rockwell is one of the most influential American classic painters in the history of
United States art. His illustrations are timeless masterpieces that depicted matters within the
United States of America as, mythical, idealistic, and innocent, which evoke a longing for a
time and place that existed only in the rarefied realm of his rich imagination and in the hopes and
aspirations of a nation.(Masters) His paintings are looked upon as sources of inspiration, both in
todays and in his century. Illustrations such as Four Freedoms series, Day in the Life of a
Little Girl, and Freedom From Want (American) carried the United States through a
tumultuous time in which issues such as civil rights, poverty, and religious conflict ran fervently.
Throughout this time, most of Rockwells work stood as a source of encouragement and comfort,
due to the fact that they essentially depicted peaceful adaptations of mundane American
activities, such as baseball, Thanksgiving, and prayer. Norman Rockwell, above other objectives,
strove to convey life in the most ideal and peaceful manner. This message is still being drawn
from today, as individuals in our society look to his work for inspiration.
Rockwells work additionally serves as a gentle reminder of the subtle but significant American
traditions practiced by its citizens. These seemingly small daily traditions were dutifully
observed by Norman Rockwell, who himself once stated, I was showing the America I knew
and observed to others who might not have noticed.(Biddle) Although small happenings in our
daily lives are rarely associated with grandeur in our society, Norman Rockwell believed that
these fine details were key to the composition of a perfect nation. He believed that the mundane
things in the life of each American not only bore great significance, but also played a very central
role in defining a society as a whole; as shown by his art. In this way, Rockwell preserved the
traditions and societal values of America for generations to come. Norman Rockwell achieved
the status of an American classic by preserving and portraying the important aspects and ideals
that function as the building blocks of the United States of America.

Works Cited
American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell. Advertisement. Detroit Institute of Arts.
Detroit Institute of Arts, 15 Dec. 2008. Web. 17 Aug. 2013.
Biddle, Marcus. "Norman Rockwell: An American Icon." The Gleaner at Rutgers University
Camden RSS. The Gleaner, 18 Aug. 2013. Web. 17 Aug. 2013.
Masters, American. "About Norman Rockwell." PBS. PBS, 7 Feb. 2006. Web. 17 Aug. 2013.