The Focus Exhibition Norman Rockwell: Stories of Emotion opened at the Dayton Art Institute and will be on view through February 13, 2022. This intimate exhibition features a dozen original works by America’s most beloved illustrator.
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“Rockwell was a master at expressing emotion and telling stories through his art. Seeing his original paintings and drawings just brings home what a remarkably talented artist Rockwell was, and what a treat it is to have these works available to share with our community,” said Jerry N. Smith, DAI Chief Curator and Director of Education.
A talented artist with a keen eye for detail, Rockwell was America’s premier illustrator for more than six decades. Before television, Rockwell’s colorful and entertaining images came into people’s homes as story illustrations and on covers for periodicals such as American Magazine and The Saturday Evening Post. While few saw his original art, Rockwell became a household name beginning in the 1920s through reproductions of his work, which also appeared on advertisements, posters and calendars.
The featured works in Norman Rockwell: Stories of Emotion—including 12 original paintings and drawings, three lithographs and other Rockwell-related items—highlight the artist’s ability to express emotion to showcase universal human themes. Additional works by other artists help put Rockwell’s work in a broader, art-historical context.