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Norman Perceval Rockwell (1894-1978) Original Oil Painting (c.1933). Norman Rockwell painted America

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Comics Start Price:NA Estimated At:300,000.00 - 561,000.00 USD
Norman Perceval Rockwell (1894-1978) Original Oil Painting (c.1933). Norman Rockwell painted America
Norman Perceval Rockwell (1894-1978) Original Oil Painting (c.1933). Norman Rockwell painted America. An idealistic America to some, but one that he, and ultimately millions of others, prefer to remember. He possessed the gift of translating our collective feelings to canvas; our fears and hopes, our childhood innocence and dreams, all in a manner that became his distinctive narrative style. For nearly half a century Rockwell's paintings appeared on the covers of The Saturday Evening Post, and have become a visual legacy of the artist and his contribution to American illustration. Throughout his career, whether creating advertising images, calendars, story or book illustrations, Rockwell shared his bucolic and often humorous vision of America with us. As the 20th century came to a close, a major retrospective of his work began touring the country, ending at the prestigious Guggenheim Museum in 2001. Posthumously, Rockwell finally achieved what had been his lifelong ambition, and in so doing brought a new recognition to American Illustration as we entered the 21st century.This superb American historical composition, alternatively titled "Poor Richard's Almanac" and "Freedom of the Press," may well have provided Rockwell some inspiration for his other, more famous "Four Freedoms" series that he later painted for the Government War Bonds effort during World War II. Here we see Ben Franklin proofreading a newly printed page, an image that Rockwell created during the early 1930s for the anticipated celebration of the 500th anniversary of the printing press in 1936. Rockwell's longtime friend and model, Fred Hildebrandt, posed as the printer hovering over Ben Franklin's shoulder.A photocopy of a letter from Rockwell accompanies the painting, and states as follows:Norman RockwellStockbridge,MassachusettsMarch 6, 1973Dear Mr. Yonakparian,In reply to your letter of February 20th, I did the picture at least forty years ago when I lived in New Rochelle. I don't remember who posed for Ben Franklin, but I do know the printer in back of him was one of my favorite models, Fred Hildebrandt.Sincerely yours,NormanRockwellRendered in oil on canvas, the image size is 32 x 27, and the painting is signed twice, once at lower right, and again on the reverse. The quality of the work is simply superb; it is difficult to imagine a more desirable and patriotic theme for any Norman Rockwell painting. Important notice: We expect to be auctioning lots at the rate of 200-250 per hour. Sometimes eBay Premier live bid software cannot keep up with that pace, so we strongly recommend that you place a realistic proxy bid now as insurance to avoid disappointment. Also please note that all Heritage/CAA lots purchased through eBay Premier carry a 20% Buyer's Premium. Please make sure you read the Terms and Conditions.