Norman Rockwell: The Circus Barker

Artist: Norman Rockwell

Completion Date: 1916

Style: Regionalism

Genre: genre painting

Technique: Oil

Material: Canvas

Created for a cover of the The Saturday Evening Post magazine.

The Saturday Evening Post was a publication that published current events, human interest pieces and editorials. The Saturday Evening Post printed issues bi-weekly and ran form 1897-1969 and would often commission famous artist such as Norman Rockwell.

Norman Perceval Rockwell (February 3, 1894 – November 8, 1978) was a 20th-century American painter and illustrator. His works enjoy a broad popular appeal in the United States for their reflection of American culture. Rockwell is most famous for the cover illustrations of everyday life scenarios.

In 1962, Rockwell was quoted in Esquire magazine as saying: "I call myself an illustrator but I am not an illustrator. Instead, I paint storytelling pictures which are quite popular but unfashionable." 

Rockwell was a master of using gesture and facial expressions of the subjects within his paintings to captivate his audiences. His use of expressions and gesture conveys emotions  that are easily identifiable.

In the Circus Barker two youths assume the rolls of archetypical circus characters, the Strong Man, and the Barker. This illustration depicts the adoration children have for the circus and is why it is a perfect choice for our exhibit.

Posted By: Donald Nadziejko