Norman Rockwell's Depiction of the Mississippi murders

[alphafemale]

Shows a sense of defiance and bravery in the face of death by the hands of racist scum

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

1. My god.

Who knew Rockwell worked like this? Who knew?

On edit: the central shadow on the ground? Demonic.

[alphafemale]

4. You're right. A bit of Nosferatu there..or the silhouette of Killen

As he looks now.

[SpiralHawk]

10. That's what happens when you squash your baseball cap down hard

on your bowl haircut, and your ears jutt out -- you get freaky, demonic silouettes and shadows.

[frictionlessO]

6. Im with you there!! I had no idea!!

It is powerful work and I can't believe that is not his most famous piece!

[AX10]

26. Who knew indeed.

I had no idea.

[malmapus]

59. Same here, I never have seen any of his works so dark

Wow, new found respect instilled now

[Lorien]

28. Millions of us knew

The art community, commercial artists of the world, and the millions of people who have visited the Rockwell museum:
http://www.nrm.org/

The above painting can be seen hanging in the gallery here:
http://www.nrm.org/collections/

[alphafemale]

30. He was an artist whose True Art was eclipsed by his success

"Murder in Mississippi" is not well known to the general public like the Saturday Evening Post illustrations are.

[Lorien]

31. Well put

Rockwell actually dreamed of being an abstract painter and loved the work of Jackson Pollack, but the demand for his American fantasies (and he knew that that's exactly what they were) was too strong and too lucrative for him to escape.

In a small sense, I know how he felt. I spent 5 1/2 years in art school and had many "big dreams", but I ended up animating for Disney and working as a commercial artist.Bills have to be paid, after all.

[Lorien]

39. I think that it's always bothered me

that his work was so derided by art critics when most of them knew that he had done works like "Murder in Mississippi". His studies and portraits from his travels abroad are quite remarkable also. One must look at an artist's entire body of work before passing judgment.

[VOX]

45. Some of Rockwell's WWII images were VERY dark and powerful...

This one is my favorite WWII propaganda posters; Rockwell's 1942 image of the lone embattled GI in a shredded shirt, with all the spent brass at his feet, really communicates the idea of last-ditch desperation.

[Lorien]

69. OMG-a friend of mine owns the charcoal study

of that piece! He works in the film industry and collects original art-mostly the Golden Age Illustrators. Funny, I can't recall seeing that final version before. Frankly, it's much more powerful than the study!

[lastliberalintexas]

60. Yes, his painting of Ruby Bridges

was incredible too (The Problem we all Live With?).

[Athame]

52. and the sticks and stones in the foreground

Simply spellbinding. I have to get to that museum.

[alphafemale]

57. ...can break the bones. "Words can break a heart"

That's how I told that truism to my kids.

Harsh words can LEAD to physical violence too.
In fact it often does.

[roguevalley]

70. actually, he was passionate about civil and racial justice. His works

on this are many. and intensely powerful.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

2. Dear god! Chill bumps and shivers.

Powerful. I've never seen that.

[htuttle]

3. I had no idea he did anything like this

Why haven't I seen this before?

Very powerful.

[OnionPatch]

5. Thanks so much for posting this

It has totally changed my idea of him. I'm stunned. I guess I always thought he only did idyllic paintings of the good old days. Didn't know he also painted the bad old days. I can appreciate the rest of his work now, much more.

[pnorman]

7. There was a Norman Rockwell discussion on DU a while back.

I described myself as an unabashed Leftist, who admired his works, despite them being considered iconic of "bourgeous values". I was going by all the mainstream illustrations I had been familiar with --- they still depicted everything with dignity and compassion. His greatest ones were during WWII, and I recall NONE that contained any screaming hatred or even jingoism.

I had never seen or even heard of that one before, but it confirms my original feelings. THANKS.

pnorman
On edit: Here's the complete collection: http://www.artchive.com/artchive/r/rockwell/

Check this one out:

On further edit, here's the explanation of that illustration: "And for a new kind of spine-chilling social realism, his Southern Justice, an eerily lit document of the murder of three civil rights activists in Mississippi"

[alphafemale]

12. Rockwell did a number of civil rights era paintings...

but none so dark and powerful as "Murder in Mississippi"

[mopaul]

8. stunning. first time i've seen it. woah

[Coexist]

9. proud to recommend this.

[deutsey]

11. I have always liked Rockwell and suffered snide criticism for my support

This only goes to reinforce my love of this man's art.

[FredStembottom]

22. I love Rockwell if only for one reason....

In this era when only men, women and children so beautiful that you suspect they are genetically altered can appear in the media it is especially wonderful to re-view Rockwell's output.

He seemed to always be saying that the best and truest Americans, the most patriotic and proud and genuine - and having the most fun to boot! - are the HOMELY Americans. The mutts. The rabble. The just plain funny looking.

Boy do we need some of that thinking now!

[deutsey]

66. You're right. He's dismissed as being maudlin

but I think at his best, Rockwell captures an essence of the American identity that's missing in today's media.

[FredStembottom]

67. And qualifying it with "at his best" is fair....

He certainly could crank out some pretty formulaic stuff on deadline. But....even then....it was _his_ formula:)

[in_cog_ni_to]

13. He's always been one of my favorite artists, but I've NEVER seen this

picture! Very intense, isn't it? It looks like they're on the moon or Mars or some other planet. I wonder if that was intentional?

This couldn't happen here. This can only happen on Mars? I wish. :(

[alphafemale]

14. Sepia and White - except for the blood red

It would have lost the impact in full color I think.

[in_cog_ni_to]

18. I agree. That is an incredible piece of art.

The tones make the picture. The bright light shining on the standing man, the dark shadowy figures (one looks like an alien) and the blood. The blood makes the real impact...stands out...makes a statement. Powerful, powerful picture.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

15. Very powerful image

[IndyOp]

16. Amazing. Haunting.

I've loved Rockwell since I was a kid for his liberal views. My favorite Rockwell:



On edit: In case you can't see it in this small image - the boy on the left has a baseball glove and the kids on the right obviously love playing, too. This first meeting is a bit tentative - but hopeful.

[alphafemale]

19. Also love how the "new kids" look a bit prissy and over-dressed.

And the Cat n Dog looking at each other too.

Lots of details.

[IndyOp]

20. Mmm-hmmm - especially the little girl. But notice that

the new boy has on some time-honored sneakers -- he's a real boy and he's ready to ask his Dad if he couldn't please go play ball instead of helping with the boxes...

Rockwell got the human spirit right.

[Straight Shooter]

32. Notice the white cat and the black dog, inverse relationships.

I've never seen the Murder in Mississippi before. Unbelievable. How could this masterpiece have been overlooked by so many? It's awesome.

[alphafemale]

33. Good catch about the pet colors. nt

[LeahD]

35. Yes, I noticed that too.

Genius!!!

[Kraklen]

72. Obviously that's a moving van.

Who's moving? Black people moving in, or white people moving out? White flight?

[StaggerLee]

17. Incredibly moving

I don't believe I've ever seen this piece before. I think I would have remembered.

[mopaul]

21. ......

...........

[moof]

23. good grief people , have you never seen this one either ?

[StaggerLee]

24. I am familiar with that one

Thanks for posting.

:hi:

[alphafemale]

25. That'd be "Ruby" Brave little girl.

[Lorien]

27. Must be seen in person

at the Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts (which was funded by Steven Spielberg). Both a huge, powerful paintings. Rockwell always longed to be recognized for something outside of the idyllic American scenes that "never did exist and will always remain a fantasy" according to the artist. He knew damn well what was going on in our country, and he tried to make others see the REALITY he saw, but obviously from the responses on this thread, these paintings and others never made it into the public conscious like his fictional pieces did. Many Americans today, like those before them, still desperately want to believe in Rockwell's Fantasy America, and still stubbornly ignore the ugly realities that have always plagued us.

On edit: Here's a link to the Museum: http://www.nrm.org/collections/

[LeahD]

37. The Four Freedoms and The Golden Rule....how timeless

and timely. Masterpieces. Thank you for the link.

[misanthrope]

41. Rockwell had to get away...

...from the Saturday Evening Post before he had the freedom to do those type works. When he left the Post and went to Look magazine in the early '60s, he did a whole series on civil rights and poverty.

He once told someone that the Post instructed him to never paint "coloreds" unless they were in the role of servants. He bit his lip and adhered due the extravagant medical bills his second wife was accumulating then.

[Lorien]

43. Interesting, and pretty awful of the Post!

most of what I know of Rockwell I learned from the museum and a dinner I had with his nephew a few years ago (in his 70s and still teaching illustration and cartooning in NYC). I've always been a fan of J. C. Leyendecker, though, who Rockwell also idolized. The Rockwell's were pretty accepting of J.C. and his male significant other in a time when most were not.

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

54. Thanks for posting and thanks for the link

Stockbridge is not far from Tanglewood - sounds like a good road trip

[in_cog_ni_to]

50. Oh YES. THAT is one I'm familiar with. n/t

[Pithlet]

29. Wow. Thanks for posting.

I'd never seen it before, either.

[SlipperySlope]

34. The attitude towards "illustrators" has always been a disgrace.

It seems like "serious" artists have always held mere "illustrators" like Rockwell in contempt. As if, despite his technical talent and ability to capture the human spirit, he isn't worthy of attention because much of his work is commercial.

This attitude is elitist and unfair. The man could paint, and the man could make you think.

[Lorien]

38. Michaelangelo was an Illustrator

the Sistine Chapel was a commission to illustrate scenes from the Bible. Rembrandt, Vermeer, Da Vinci...all illustrators if held to the the same standard (commissioned to tell a story through their paintings). As a professional illustrator myself, I get tired of hearing "Oh, you do graphic arts". No, that's what logo and website designers do. I'm an illustrator, and I feel no shame in saying that.

[Gemini Cat]

36. I've not seen this before!

Thanks for posting this!

[misanthrope]

40. The actual name...

...of that work is "Southern Justice."

[Cleita]

42. I always loved his work, all of it, even the Post covers.n/t

[wicket]

44. Haunting.

[Hardrada]

46. Ronald Reagan began his 1980 campaign

practically in that very spot.

[misanthrope]

53. Yes, he did...

...and the SOB stood tall in Philadelphia MS and spoke about how he was a champion of "states rights." It's one of the most poorly kept secrets of the South that "states rights" was, and still is to an extent, a code word used by proponents of segregation.

It says a lot about this country that Reagan is so admired to this day.

[alphafemale]

55. "States Rights" except in things like medical marijuana nt

[sunnystarr]

58. Or in presidential elections ... (nt)

[MisterP]

56. he said there, "I know what happened here, I know what you like, and I

like it too." "He made us comfortable with our racism," said one commentator.

[bobbieinok]

62. Reagan's speech at Philadelphia is very little known, except to racists

who found in it support for their views

I read that Reagan was to give his first campaign speech at the Urban League (he did finally give the speech, the only one before a black group)......but Trent Lott, a recent 'convert to the republican party and a Representative from MS, told Reagan if he spoke in MS he had a good chance of winning the state

the source I read said cameras caught a sea of white faces at Philadelphia hearing Reagan support 'states rights'

the speech--contents and significance of Philadelphia MS should be pounded into the US consciousness

this speech and its connotations plus Nixon's southern strategy in 1960 leaves no doubt where the republicans stand in regard to minority rights

[MisterP]

71. he had to keep the South from going to Carter again

the northern states he took care of by stealing Carter's debate notes, I guess...
the "Gippet" (as he called himself in '88 once) was not half as popular or as beloved as the corp. media would tell us: he was lower than Clinton was, starting before the 6th, and matched or surpassed by Clinton and Ike throughout. He was only 7-10 points above JOHNSON since the start of '85
Mondale only lost because Ray-gun was seen as more "personable": Americans overwhelmingly backed Walt's policies in the age of bad Stetsons and Helmsley and corruption--but not the man himself.

[lastliberalintexas]

73. Reagan's approval numbers were the lowest

in the history of the ratings immediately prior to the assassination attempt by a *Bush family friend*. Coincidence? Who really knows. But I've always found it interesting to hear people speak of him in such glowing terms when the facts show just how despised he was.

And that data was before Bush II took office. I know his poll numbers were also very bad before 9/11 (another coincidence?), but I don't know which of the 2 had the lower numbers.

[Piperay]

47. WOW!!!

I have always liked Rockwell because his works are so detailed with all kinds of little things that have big meanings but I had never seen this one...BIG THANKS!!!:thumbsup:

[psychopomp]

48. Awesome. Hope others get a chance to see this remarkable piece

ttt

[mopaul]

49. .......

.......

[Tsiyu]

51. kick

:kick:

[fortyfeetunder]

61. The man was not afraid to "paint it like it is"

The other picture I liked was about the little girl walking to school during desegregation.

Norman Rockwell knew he had the power to inspire and make people think through his painting, and took full advantage of it.

I wish he were alive today to capture the bull**** going down....

[bobbieinok]

63. anyone know where Imight get a copy of this picture??

[uppityperson]

64. Wow. I didn't know he did this stuff. wow.

kick to keep it up on the page. Thank you for posting this.

[ailsagirl]

65. Rockwell was a true American who really cared.

He was deeply disturbed by the things going on in our country. Would that we had him around today.

"The Problem We All Live With"



(I know, someone already posted this one but I thought it was worth including anyway)

[newportdadde]

68. Amazing. I had no idea Rockwell had done scenes like this.

Thank you and the other posters for sharing some of them.