Portrait of Dr. Jefferson Joseph Citron, DDS 1918

Norman Rockwell painted this portrait of Dr. Jefferson Joseph Citron, probably in oil. Look at the way he handles the white of the uniform, it's a symphony of subtle greys and creams. You can almost feel Rockwell figuring things out as he goes. The paint is applied in visible strokes, particularly noticeable in the highlights on the buttons and the folds of the fabric. It's like he's building the image with individual dabs of color, a real hands-on approach. The black of the background and the detailing on the hat, anchor the light tones of the figure. There’s something so charming about the way Rockwell captures the texture of the fabric and the sheen of the gold detailing. You can almost hear him chuckling as he paints those shiny buttons. It reminds me a little of Fairfield Porter's portraits. Both artists seem interested in catching the everyday and finding beauty in the unassuming.