Norman Rockwell Biography Review:
Title: Norman Rockwell
Author: Laura Claridge
Date of Publication: December, 2001
Number of pages: 546
Name of person being studied: Norman Rockwell
Laura Claridge’s book, Norman Rockwell, reveals a new perspective on Norman
Rockwell’s life and personality. Although Rockwell may have been seen as an all loving
father
and extraordinary painter, admirers of his work may be unaware of his workaholic
methods,
three failed marriages and distance from his kids that he desperately tried to prevent.
Claridge
retrieves written letters of Rockwell and his family to reveal this well admired painters not
so
great life outside of the art studio.
Inside of the studio, Rockwell painted beautiful and realistic American scenes which also
depicted social issues of his time. However, critics from the 1930’s till approximately the
1970’s
often questioned Rockwell as an artist. Most critics of this time referred to Rockwell as an
illustrator instead of giving him the title of an artist. This caused Rockwell to become
harsh on
himself and his hundreds of oil paintings. He too began referring to his paintings as simple
illustrations. However, in his later years of his life, Rockwell received several awards for
his
memorable works of art. Throughout his adulthood, Rockwell faced many family issues
such as
divorces and the distance that he had from his children as well.
Becoming popular around the 1940’s till death, Norman Rockwell and his family moved
quite often from New York to Vermont to Massachusetts. During this time, there were
many
issues dealing with racism and women rights. Rockwell used the Saturday Evening Post to
