Customer Reviews

Norman Rockwell: Pictures for the American People

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4 star:		(2)
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I received Pictures for the American People as a Christmas gift and was delighted at the exquisite art as the pages unfolded. I collect all sorts of Rockwell works and this is truly the best I've seen. It explores not only the paintings, but what is behind them, the man himself. I felt as though I was being introduced to Mr. Rockwell through this masterpiece. It is a MUST BUY book! Even if you have never experienced one of his books or paintings, you will want to open this book again and again. The images are displayed in such detail and the stories behind them tell so much. You will be captured by the different aspects of art once you have seen what is inside. I will not spoil all this book has to offer, so if you haven't already purchased a copy, do so....or put it on your Wish List. You'll be happy that you did!

In a world that is completely inundated with so many Norman Rockwell books, I thought that i would never buy another one. I'm an artist and fan of Rockwell's but quite frankly there are so many other great illustrators out there, at times i wish that fewer books were written about Rockwell and more attention was given to other less known American artists like James Montgomery Flagg, F.R. Gruger, J.C. Leyendecker, Howard Pyle and Harvey Dunn, among many others. Then this book came along. I told myself I didn't want to buy it, I already have four books on Rockwell, I certainly don't need another. Then I opened the book and saw that the quality of the prints in this book are outstanding (the best I've seen) and the text is really informative. Now I'm telling myself THIS will be the last book I buy on Rockwell. This book will give you a new appreciation for Rockwell's skill as a painter and a colorist. After seeing these painting in person for the show that this book was written for, I can say that this book does justice to Rockwell's amazing talent.

Anyone who has wondered (even remotely) about Norman Rockwell's place in the World of Art will enjoy this book. In addition to 80 beautiful color reproductions of Rockwell's paintings, there are 14 essays about the artist and his work. The authors of these essays acknowledge that Rockwell was an anachronism and, to most people in the Art World, an object of derision. But each essay argues in favor of Rockwell's importance by focusing on one or more of his unique talents.

In "the Great Art Communicator", Thomas Hoving makes a very convincing case for Rockwell as an influential American artist. Rockwell's son Peter's essay entitled "Some Comments from the Boy in the Dining Car" (referring to the painting for which he was used as the model when he was a boy) offers invaluable insights into what the artist himself thought about his work. There is also an essay by Anne Knutson that tells the fascinating story of the Saturday Evening Post, its importance in the definition of "Americanism" and how Rockwell's relationship with the editor influenced his work.

The debate about Norman Rockwell's place in the history of art will undoubtedly continue. But as Laurie Norton Moffatt sums up in her essay "The People's Painter": "The personal transformation and communication that occurs when one looks at a work of art is the artist's defining moment. Rockwell was a master of delivering that moment to his public."

With an artist like Rockwell, there is no way to have a perfect representation of all his works, but this book comes close. This was given as a gift so quality of printing was as important as the subject. If you are a Rockwell fan and can find this book, grab it!

New and used bookstores always have a myriad of Norman Rockwell books from large to small. The reproductions in this book have the best detail of any I've seen. You can see the individual brush strokes and even the texture of the canvas. For any Rockwell fan who's curious for how he handles the paint but is unable to visit them in person, I highly recommend this book.

There is an abundance of books on Norman Rockwell's art. Not knowing what the other ones are like, for this book I, however, can say that it is a very good and informative look at this great American artist. The printing is high quality, and the writers analyzing the man's works give added perspective to his paintings and the artist's ideas behind their subject matter. Most of the best known works are included, also many such paintings that, at least for me, have been completely unknown until now. As the prices for this book at the Amazon also seem to be very affordable, this should be a really good buy for anyone interested in this truly original artist, in whose works something very, very essential of the American culture has been preserved.

I was excited to be able to order this book as I needed it for a program I am giving. It was ordered through Hastings and never arrived, and I had no success reaching their customer service. I have cancelled payment on my credit card.