Norman Rockwell was actually a progressive and challenging artist and his reputation for nostalgic schlock was undeserved.
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went to the norman rockwell museum a few weeks back and it was really, really moving. they had a room filled with all his post covers and so much more. his art was deeply political -- it is insane to me that people overlook things like the ruby bridges painting. "the problem we all live with"
jul 30, 2025, 12:06 am • 98 3 • view
you've met people, yeah? most of them are pretty stupid and happily swallow the nonsense served up by the laziest outlets
jul 30, 2025, 12:58 am • 0 0 • view
ive met people. and so many are brilliant, and wonderful, and kind. maybe not as many as those who aren't, but they're the ones i think of when i think of people™ engaging with art.
jul 30, 2025, 1:15 am • 4 0 • view
(PS the alt-texts are very well done and capture a lot about what makes the works so stirring!)
jul 30, 2025, 1:02 am • 2 0 • view
thank you so much! i always want accessibility tools to be as engaging and evocative as the works they're referencing. 💖
jul 30, 2025, 1:13 am • 3 0 • view
It's like container homes, Squid Games, and even Disco Elysium here. Capitalism sands everything smooth and sells it back to you as a product.
jul 30, 2025, 12:39 am • 20 1 • view
he was one of the best illustrators in american history
jul 5, 2025, 6:37 pm • 13 0 • view
Always liked Norman Rockwell and his nostalgic "Schlock". His work is so expressive and cozy. I love learning more about him as well.
jul 30, 2025, 12:56 am • 0 0 • view
When I was fairly young someone gifted us a book on Rockwell and I've adored his work since. He was a master and just because his work was commercial and superficially conventional he doesn't seem to get the recognition it deserves.
jul 30, 2025, 12:44 am • 7 0 • view
Same with Grant Wood
jul 30, 2025, 1:39 am • 1 0 • view
"I have a rare photo of Norman Rockwell beating a child." - Steven Wright
jul 30, 2025, 4:41 am • 0 0 • view
Breaking Home Ties is one of my favourites. It's just so touching and bittersweet! upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en...
jul 30, 2025, 12:37 am • 22 0 • view
I know Rockwell is synonymous with kitsch (and much of his art is delightfully so!), but when he wants to, he can pack an image with so much feeling it just snacks you upside the head. Every detail tells you everything you need to know to appreciate this everyday moment.
jul 30, 2025, 12:37 am • 8 0 • view
True -we went there two years ago and was happily surprised. Great day in the Berkshires.
jul 30, 2025, 1:02 am • 0 0 • view
'Southern Justice' at the Rockwell Museum is a disturbing masterpiece.
jul 30, 2025, 1:05 am • 1 0 • view
People can be both. Being a progressive doesn't mean you have to throw out the genuinely good parts of the past. It means you want to correct the bad parts and enhance the good parts.
jul 30, 2025, 1:00 am • 7 0 • view
And his technical skill was matched by his composition
jul 30, 2025, 12:06 am • 25 0 • view
I didnt know this was a painting for some reason. May I ask the name of it?
jul 30, 2025, 4:19 am • 0 0 • view
@birdhistory.bsky.social This is the best post of the day!
jul 30, 2025, 1:05 pm • 1 0 • view
Check out "Hidden in Plain Sight" by Jane Allen Petrick for a complete breakdown of all the POC he painted and their stories. Similarly, he also painted girls and women as fully fleshed out humans the viewer is supposed to empathize with rather than pretty things to look at.
jul 30, 2025, 1:19 am • 6 0 • view
People who thought he was only nostalgic schlock missed a lot of his work—
jul 30, 2025, 1:14 am • 15 1 • view
Girl at Mirror kills me
jul 30, 2025, 1:06 am • 2 0 • view
"The Problem We All Live With", 1964. Gutting.
jul 30, 2025, 2:03 am • 4 0 • view
Hear, hear. There’s a great piece at the United Nations based on “Golden Rule.”
jul 30, 2025, 1:41 am • 0 0 • view
He was aware of that criticism of his early work and his work evolved over time with that criticism in mind. He always had the skills and he kept expanding his vision.
jul 30, 2025, 12:01 am • 17 1 • view
Similar to Frank Capra in that way.
jul 30, 2025, 12:33 am • 3 1 • view
And, to a lesser extent, Spielberg
jul 30, 2025, 12:34 am • 4 0 • view
bsky.app/profile/noth...
jul 30, 2025, 12:00 am • 38 1 • view