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NORMAN ROCKWELL

THE CONNOISSEUR, 1962

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About the Artwork

Saturday Evening Post cover January 13, 1962.

In 1961, Rockwell's studio was temporarily transformed into an abstract expressionist's workplace as he painted The Connoisseur, a painting about the relationship between conventional and modern art. Always fascinated by modern and abstract art, Rockwell designed a cover in which he could acknowledge his appreciation of the genre. By placing his back to us, he leaves the interpretation of the museum visitor's reaction to the viewer.

During an interview with the Smithsonian American Art Museum in conjunction with the exhibition Telling Stories: Norman Rockwell from the Collections of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, collector Steven Spielberg said:

"The Connoisseur is a fascinating painting for me. ...Rockwell actually had to do a Jackson Pollock. He had to get that drip effect on that canvas. That means he had to completely change the paradigm of his style to accomplish a Jackson Pollack and a very convincing Jackson Pollock, before going back to his sort of conventional human characters. For me that represents how an artist can suddenly change his style and be unrecognizable in one form in another medium and then return to the style that we're familiar with." - Steven Spielberg

The original oil painting is now part of a private collection, and featured in the exhibition Rockwell and Realism in an Abstract World, on view June 17 through October 29, 2016.

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About Our Prints

Quality

Norman Rockwell Museum Custom Prints offers exclusive custom reproductions of artworks in the collections and exhibitions of the Norman Rockwell Museum. Hand-made in the USA using gallery-quality materials, we create prints as true to the original work as possible, using strict color management protocols and state-of-the-art printing technology.

Selection

Many of the works offered through this store are exclusive and not available anywhere else. We are continually adding new artworks to our offering, so be sure to check back regularly as you build your own gallery. A variety of molding styles means our custom framed prints can match any type of decor.