Relaxing in Chair 1923

Norman Rockwell paints a picture of leisure with, Relaxing in Chair. There is a looseness in the way he works, a visible process of paint being brushed onto the canvas. It has got this really wonderful combination of precision and play. There is an incredible attention to detail, especially in the plaid blanket. The repetition of lines and squares creates depth that almost feels tactile, like you could reach out and feel the wool. Look at how that contrasts with the more softly rendered face, those flushed cheeks. The whole image feels very grounded, and that groundedness is created through his use of very specific detail, as well as these little almost abstracted moments within the same piece. Rockwell’s work makes me think a lot about Alex Katz, they both use this combination of looser painting with very exacting rendering. They also both have a kind of quiet intimacy that really grabs you. Art is so much about conversations that span time, and Rockwell is part of that big, juicy, ongoing chat.