Graduation 1926

This painting, Graduation, by Norman Rockwell, is about the moment of recognition. It looks like it was made with layers of thin, transparent paint, like watercolors, but with oils. The teacher’s face is full of such drama, it’s almost comical. Look at his open mouth, the stretched skin around his eyes, the loose fabric of his clothes all painted with these subtle washes of color. And then there’s the boy. A study of composure in his little suit. His red boots are just killing me! The painting feels like a stage set, with the blank background and the map behind them. It’s a reminder that painting, like life, is often about constructing a scene, layering details to create a believable, if not always accurate, picture. Think of someone like Philip Guston, another painter of modern life, who used a cartoonish style to express the inner turmoil of the world. Rockwell is softer, but it's the same impulse, a need to show life not just as it is, but as it feels.