American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I thought this was a worthwhile overview of the life and work of Rockwell. Though it was published to coincide with an exhibition there are only five pages that relate to this in a checklist format of work. The rest of the book has three essays hung around New York, Vermont and Stockbridge where the artist lived and between these are pages of his work with detailed text.
Most of Rockwell's paintings in the book have been reproduced many times before but maybe not as well as here (with a 175 screen). What I did find new were several drawings and roughs from the early Fifties of Santa for Hallmark cards and a fascinating twenty-two page section on the background to Murder in Mississippi, a compelling painting completed in 1965. Included are letters, news clipping, reference photos for the two figures in the painting and painted roughs. Oddly Look Magazine, who commissioned the work, used a rather loose color study in the magazine rather than the finished work.
At the back of the book there are twenty-eight pages about Rockwell's various studios over the years with plenty of exterior and interior photos. All the paintings in the book are captioned with title, date and size. The size reference is interesting because Rockwell is seen as a realist painter, especially his Saturday Evening Post from the mid-forties but this is because when a canvas three or four feet deep is reduced to a magazine cover size (or as they appear in these pages) it concentrates all the detail to a near photographic feel. When you see a Rockwell painting close-up it clearly has a fine art look rather than a slick piece of commercial illustration.
Amazon lists plenty of books about this wonderful artist, many of them, I think, just seem to be cashing in on his name with poor selections and printing. This book should be included with the better ones because of its excellent editorial, design and printing.
***SEE SOME INSIDE PAGES by clicking 'customer images' under the cover.

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