Portrait of Arthur E. Redding 1919

Norman Rockwell painted this portrait of Arthur E. Redding, and you can just imagine how the painting came into being, shifting and emerging through trial, error, and intuition. I sympathize with Rockwell, picturing what it must have been like to create this! What could he have been thinking when he made it? I mean, those brushstrokes really communicate feeling. It's cool how the texture, color, and surface shape our experience and add emotional and intellectual depth. Rockwell makes a particular gesture with the rosy cheeks and you can tell he wanted to communicate the blush of youth. I imagine Rockwell had a very specific idea for the artwork. He’s in an ongoing conversation with other portrait painters across time, inspiring each other's creativity. The painting is a form of expression and offers multiple interpretations. It’s nice to see artists are still exchanging ideas!