This painting sold for $15.4 million.
This is my father’s favorite painting. This painting captures perfectly the life of many rural youth in the late 50s and 60s. These were kids who would lead lives remarkably different from their parents.
are they waiting for the bus to take Junior to college?
Bus or train.
One of the poignent things about the painting is how beat down the father looks, likely from a life of hard physical labor. He’s probably only about 45, but he looks like he’s 60. My dad’s own dad died in his early 40s.
I used to hate NR paintings until I started painting myself. The man was incredible. And I think he used to pump out one of these paintings every day. Anybody who has ever tried to paint understands the genius of this man. Yes, some of his themes are a bit cheesy (IMO anyway) but this man was born with pure talent.
One of the poignent things about the painting is how beat down the father looks, likely from a life of hard physical labor. He’s probably only about 45, but he looks like he’s 60.
I like that too, and the optimism in the boys face as a contrast to the father.
I went to a Rockwell exhibit once and really enjoyed it. Simple paintings but they all seemed to tell a story.
Rockwell is hokey, sentimental, crass, and cliche ridden, and as a result touches a nerve in pretty much everyone. He has universal appeal.
Rockwell is hokey, sentimental, crass, and cliche ridden, and as a result touches a nerve in pretty much everyone. He has universal appeal.
But Rockwell created the cliche. He was the original. It is difficult for our generation to understand his brilliance because his work was plastered on every other calendar.
That’s what I was going to say.
His brilliance has been cheapened by becoming nothing more than calender paintings or magazine covers. The real works of art are amusing, visually appealing, and relatable. We all “know” someone from those paintings.
His brilliance has been cheapened
Apparently not - 15.4 million ain’t too shabby.
Another brilliant American artist with a focus on american life (landscape and stills, primarily) is Andrew Wyeth. Beautiful, but often bleak imagery. His painting of a yellow lab lying on a bed is striking, one of my favorites. I’ll see if I can dig it up…
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I like it because you’re looking at the photo and wondering whether the dad is going to say “I don’t know why you even need to go to any damn college.” or “Son, I wish you the best. Work hard, and be all you can be.” or “something else”.
You get teh feeling the dog kind of understands what is getting ready to happen. Her best friend is leaving, for a long time.
The picture seems to illustrate the remarkable social and economical change that can take place in a young country … sometimes within just 1-2 generations.
Crass???
That’s zaktly how my yellow lab Jack is sleeping on my beddie right now. Never seen that painting before. Very nice.
Not that I ever would…(after all, I am in the application process to become a cop)…but art theft enthralls me. Not in the stealing of the painting but in how complex it would have to be to find someone who would be willing to pay so much money for a painting that he/she could never show anyone. How complex it would have to be to transport the painting across borders or maybe countries… (if it was high profile enough). Of all the crimes commited for profit, I think art theft reeks of romantic(ism). I recently read an article on the net somewhere about a high dollar painting being stolen. It was amazing how far and complex the spiderweb was when they finally got down to brasstax. Alot like arms dealers…just on a more social scale.
Have you read The Lifeguard by James Patterson? A good suspenseful read on the heist of a painting in the Hamptons. Dummied down for the popular culture like all his stuff is, but a nice way to spend a day or two curled up with a good book on an interesting subject.
A few years ago they had his paintings / post covers on display at a museum in town . You can see the evolution of his skill ,early pencil sketches to “OK” paintings . The work looks almost photographic , at only a few inches distance can you tell its paint. While technically perfect the subjects were the real highlight . Far more meaningful to Midwesterners who have been here 4 + generations. I have always loved his work.
I have not but thanks for the tip. I will pick it up on my day off this week. Thanks!
It amazes me how well Rockwell communicated with his paintings. It’s like each painting is a novel.
I like it because you’re looking at the photo and wondering whether the dad is going to say “I don’t know why you even need to go to any damn college.” or “Son, I wish you the best. Work hard, and be all you can be.” or “something else”.
Really? I envisioned him the dad saying, “me and ma was wonderin when you’d finally come out of that closet.”