The Day I Painted Ike 1952

Norman Rockwell made this painting of Dwight D. Eisenhower, called *The Day I Painted Ike*, in 1952, and what strikes me is its directness, its commitment to the process. It's so open about how it was made. Rockwell is known as an illustrator, but here, the materiality of the painting feels really present. Look at the loose brushwork around the tie, the way it dissolves into the background, all those visible strokes. In his face, the colours aren't blended to look perfectly smooth or realistic. You can see all the tones that make up his complexion. It's as if he's saying, "Here's a painting, and here’s how it’s done.” It makes me think of Alice Neel, another figurative painter who let the messiness of paint and the process of observation be visible. Both artists are interested in more than just likeness; they're capturing something about the person, the moment, and the act of seeing itself.