Walking to Church is a painting by American artist and illustrator Norman Rockwell , which he painted in 1952 for The Saturday Evening Post . The picture appeared on the cover of the issue of April 4, 1953. [1] [2] . This was the 276th of 322 magazine covers created by Norman Rockwell in 47 years from 1916 to 1963 [2] .
| ||
| Norman Rockwell | ||
| On the way to church . 1952 | ||
| Walking to church | ||
| Oil on canvas . 48 × 45 cm | ||
| Private collection, location unknown, since December 2013 | ||
The technique of the original painting is oil painting on canvas , the size of the original is 48 by 45 centimeters. It is given only in a few catalogs and books [3] [4] , and it appears in them as the property of Ken Stuart and his wife. For some time it was exhibited at the Norman Rockwell Museum , but in 2013 it was sold to an unknown private collector.
Description of the picture
The picture shows a couple walking with three children to the church along a city street.
Following Rockwell himself, critics consider the painting a creative failure of the artist [2] [5] . The extreme simplification of the image of family members made their images somewhat caricatured, which is inappropriate for people hurrying to church, each with his own Bible in his hand. Respect for them is demonstrated only by a black cat, who did not dare to cross the road in front of them.
The street pictured is located in a poor quarter of some northern old American city. The buildings, darkened by time and bad weather, each of which was seen by several generations of people, contrast with the recently installed in large numbers of television antennas on the roofs. Yesterday's rubbish has not been removed on the street, which gives the picture realism and authenticity. Aroused birds were frightened off by the blow of the bell, foreshadowing the imminent start of church service [5] .
The painting was given on a long-term loan to the Norman Rockwell Museum prior to sale in 2013 [6]
2013 Sale
"On the way to church" was sold for $ 3.2 million (including a buyer's premium) at Sotheby 's auction in New York in December 2013 [7] .
Two other Rockwell paintings that had previously been leased to the Norman Rockwell Museum, Rumors and Feast , were sold at the same time as On the Road to Church. Together with four other Rockwell artworks, they were sold to the heirs of Kenneth Stewart, art director of The Saturday Evening Post . Rockwell donated several paintings, including On the Way to Church, to Stuart, a colleague for many years. She hung in the bedroom of Stuart's wife, Katerina. At the time of the sale in 2013, the sons of Stuart could no longer afford insurance and picture maintenance.
The sale of works of art put an end to legal disagreements among the sons of Stuart. After Stuart's death in 1993, his inheritance was divided equally between his three sons, Ken Jr., William, and Jonathan. [1] The elder brother, Ken Jr., was subsequently sued by William and Jonathan, who claimed that he forced his father to sign documents so that Ken Jr. could control his father’s condition. [1] They also claimed that Ken Jr. spent part of the total. inheritance for own needs. The brothers ’dispute was settled out of court before the paintings were sold. [1] The owner of The Saturday Evening Post , the publishing company Curtis, which retains the right to copy Rockwell’s works, also tried unsuccessfully to claim ownership of the paintings. [1]
The director of the Norman Rockwell Museum, Lori Norton Moffat, expressed the hope that the paintings would eventually return to the museum. Moffat said of the paintings that “we looked after them like children ... We hope that they will return someday. We believe that the museum is the place to which they belong ” [7] . Moffat said the loss left “an irreparable gap in the museum’s collection” [8] .
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 5 Carol Vogel. Norman Rockwell's America, Newly Up for Bid . The New York Times . Date of treatment December 4, 2013.
- ↑ 1 2 3 Walking to Church by Norman Rockwell . Best Norman Rockwell Art. Date of treatment November 5, 2018.
- ↑ Buechner, 1972 , p. 110.
- ↑ Finch, 1980 , p. 4-5, 84-85.
- ↑ 1 2 Finch, 1980 , p. 84-85.
- ↑ Norman Rockwell's 'Saying Grace' Sells For $ 46 Million At Auction . National Public Radio. Date of treatment December 5, 2013.
- ↑ 1 2 Norman Rockwell painting bought for record $ 46m price at Sotheby's auction . The Guardian . Date of treatment December 4, 2013.
- ↑ The Normam Rockwell Museum's loss is Sotheby's gain . Hub Business (September 19, 2013). Date of treatment December 18, 2013.
Literature
- Buechner, Thomas. Norman Rockwell: A Sixty Year Retrospective. - New York: Henry N. Abrams inc, 1972.
- Finch, Christopher. Norman Rockwell's America. - New York: Harry N Abrams inc, 1985 .-- ISBN 0-8109-8071-1 .
- Finch, Christopher. Norman Rockwell . - Abbeville Press, 1980. - ISBN 0-89659-090-9 .