Norman Rockwell ( born 1894, New Jersey ) was not only a keen observer of the everyday reality of XXth century American life, he has also greatly contributed to shape the representation that Americans had ( and still have ) of themselves.
His most famous paintings in that respect are probably the Four Freedom series, which were published by the Saturday Evening Post during four consecutive weeks, and were a response to President FD Roosevelt’s 1941 State of the Union Speech.
In this speech, FD defined the four fundamental freedoms that every nation should be able to enjoy : Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, Freedom from Want, Freedom from fear. This speech, which can be considered as a precursor of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, has a universal appeal, but is also a clear reflection of American values, and of American exceptionalism ( the theory according to which Americans are a special people with a special destiny to lead the world toward liberty and democracy )
Norman Rockwell’s Four Freedoms were very popular, and were commonly displayed in post offices, schools, clubs, railroad stations, and a variety of public and semi-public. Freedom from Want is commonly referred to as "Norman Rockwell’s Thanksgiving" :
These pictures are probably the best example of how a popular artist has expressed a nation’s sense of its own identity.
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Dernière mise à jour : lundi 24 janvier 2022