Laughing Boy with Sandwich and Puppy 1921

This painting was made by Norman Rockwell in the United States, and while we don’t have an exact date for it, Rockwell was most active in the mid-20th century. Rockwell’s art often depicted everyday scenes of American life, and this image of a laughing boy with a sandwich and puppy is no exception. But, there is no such thing as an image that is ‘just’ about everyday life. Consider what specific values are on display here. It's hard to think of anything more wholesome than a boy, a dog, and a sandwich. The cultural references here include the imagery of domesticity, childhood, and innocence, which were all important themes in American art and culture during the 20th century. As historians, it is our role to investigate the cultural norms and social structures that shape artistic production, and to interpret art as something that is contingent on its social and institutional context. To understand Rockwell’s work better, we can look at publications like the Saturday Evening Post where his paintings often appeared.