Not So Rockwellesque

Most Norman Rockwell paintings depict a sweet childhood memory, or some terribly cheery adult outing. For more than four decades, the painter illustrated everyday scenarios for the cover of The Saturday Evening Post magazine. His subjects included boy scouts, or Gramps at the Plate. They werealmost sickly-sweet feel-good images that...

By Mickie Centrone

November 12, 2009

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Most Norman Rockwell paintings depict a sweet childhood memory, or some terribly cheery adult outing. For more than four decades, the painter illustrated everyday scenarios for the cover of The Saturday Evening Post magazine. His subjects included boy scouts, or Gramps at the Plate. They werealmost sickly-sweet feel-good images that might inspire you to grab an ice cream cone and stroll down the pier, or adopt a puppy and call your grandma. But viewers might be unaware of Rockwell’s other major contribution to the arts: his stunning civil rights paintings, which, among other works, will be on display at the Museum of Art/Fort Lauderdale (1 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale) until February 7. These paintings contain a much more serious tone. While working for Post, Rockwell was directed to portray black people only as service industry workers. Later in his life, he corrected these types of editorial prejudices. Two civil rights works to check out are Murder in Mississippi, which illustrates the slayings of three civil rights workers, and The Problem We All Live With, which deals with school integration. Tickets cost $8 to $ 15. Call 954-522-5500, or visit moaflnsu.org.
Tue., Nov. 24; Thu., Dec. 31, 2009

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