Norman Rockwell (Library of American Art) [Hardcover]

Kara Marling (Author)

Book Description

Series: Library of American Art | Publication Date: September 1, 1997

Norman Rockwell (1894-1978) is, without question, the best-loved of American artists. And although his work appears in countless books, this is the first to seriously access his achievement. Not a biography, this is a cultural history of Rockwell, setting his work in the context of American life. 100 illustrations, 50 in full color.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Perhaps Norman Rockwell will always be saddled with the reputation of a sentimental magazine illustrator who airbrushed American reality. But art historian Karal Ann Marling's generous reassessment strives with considerable success to rescue Norman Rockwell (1894-1978) from cultural cliché. "Rockwell fits readily into the grand continuum of realist masters," she contends persuasively. His life had its share of hardships, Marling notes, including his wife's alcoholism and his own bouts of depression; his depiction of American society became more somber over time and eventually led to his break with the Saturday Evening Post. Handsome reproductions of all of the famous images brace her argument.

About the Author

Karal Ann Marling is professor of art history and American studies at the University of Minnesota. She is the author of twenty-three books on topics including American mural painting of the Depression era, illustration of the 1940s, the architecture of theme parks, and the influence of television on visual culture in the 1950s. She is currently writing a biography of Grandma Moses. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (September 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810937948
• ISBN-13: 978-0810937949
• Product Dimensions: 11.9 x 9.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,197,511 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The people's painter, May 3, 2009

By 

Robin Benson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Norman Rockwell, 1894-1978: America's Most Beloved Painter (Basic Art) (Paperback)

A first class biography of Rockwell by social historian Marling in the handy Taschen art series and certainly value for money. It covers Rockwell's career in enough detail to keep you interested and I liked the way his significant paintings get detailed explanations in the text, not only technique but how they related to the times.

Naturally, Rockwell's Post covers provide the largest number of images but there are some adverts and work for Look magazine after he left the Post. His increasing frustration with the narrow remit the Post allowed him regarding their covers is revealed and as he grew old Rockwell wanted to expand his subject matter and attempt paintings that had a social significance. Marling covers these themes which makes the book much more interesting than just a visual survey of his work.

All the art is in color with some well researched black and whites of the artist, nicely designed and printed on reasonable paper. The back of the book has a bibliography though, strangely, no index. If you are new to Norman Rockwell I can recommend Thomas Buechner's magnificent Norman Rockwell published in 1970 and reprinted over the years but the first edition has tipped in plates and large fold-outs of paintings. Later editions don't have these features. I also enjoyed Advertising World Of Norman Rockwell (Italian Edition) by Donald and Marshall Stoltz, published in 1987. The only book to cover his ad art.

***SEE SOME INSIDE PAGES by clicking 'customer images' under the cover.