Norman Rockwell, Glen Canyon Dam, 1969. Illustration for the United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation.
In 1969, John DeWitt, art program coordinator for the Bureau of Reclamation, launched the Colorado River Storage Project and appointed Lloyd Goodrich, retired director of the Whitney Museum of American Art, as advisory director. Prominent American artists were invited to visit and interpret major western water development sites created through federal reclamation projects.
Commissioned to portray the dam in the medium and style of his choice, Rockwell - who remarked that he was "not a landscape artist" - centered the composition on a Navajo family in the foreground, bringing a human dimension to the monumental engineering project. Seeking authentic models, Rockwell and his wife, Molly, traveled to Black Mesa with a guide, where he met and photographed the John Lane family along with their horse and dog. Back in his Stockbridge studio, Rockwell completed the painting using sketches and photographs taken from the canyon rim, from a boat, and from the air.
Through the posture and expressions of the Navajo figures, Rockwell acknowledged the profound impact the dam's construction had on Indigenous communities. Ecological changes to the Colorado River disrupted traditional ways of life, while the rising waters of Lake Powell transformed access to sacred lands. The painting was installed at the Glen Canyon Dam Visitor Center in 1970, where it was viewed by thousands of visitors.
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.