Telling Stories: Recent Additions to the Museum’s Art and Archival Collections

Stewards of the world’s largest collection of original works by legendary visual storyteller Norman Rockwell, the Museum continues to build upon his legacy through the acquisition of art and archival collections that reflect America’s vibrant visual culture and the evolution of his beloved profession. Originally assembled by Rockwell himself and placed in trust to the Museum in 1973, our collections have continued to grow to include more than 21,000 artworks by 350 illustrators, featuring art by those who inspired him, worked as his contemporaries, and carried his ever-changing field forward in time. American life, global events, literature, the worlds of politics and entertainment, and much more are reflected in the work of great illustrators, who have in Rockwell’s words, “shown us to ourselves.” Largely acquired through the generosity of donors, the illustration collections at the heart of the Museum’s mission are further revealed by treasures in the Archives, which invite consideration of the meaning and impact of published imagery through time.

A debt of gratitude is owed to the enthusiastic illustration-lovers who have made so many outstanding artworks and artifacts available for study and enjoyment. Hundreds of paintings, drawings, and studies were added in 2019, and while we would love to list them all, we’re pleased to share these highlights. In the contemporary realm, with thanks to Victoria Allen, we have acquired a seminal collection of original illustrations by Julian Allen, a gifted visual journalist whose ability to create convincing portrayals of unwitnessed events became his recognizable trademark. Artist Milton Glaser noted that Allen’s imagery for magazines like New York, Time, Rolling Stone, and Vanity Fair had “an objective, almost neutral quality that intensified their sense of being ‘real.’ The effect was powerful.” Watergate, mafia crime, the Yom Kippur War, oil cartels, and the punk rock scene were among the hidden histories he recorded in the manner of an old-time artist/reporter. A love of observational detail is also evident in Teresa Fasolino’s wondrous mystery novel cover illustrations, which are filled with innuendo and curious clues that pique interest in the stories that unfold within their pages. Gifted by the artist, her paintings became acclaimed recognizable symbols of such detective series as (add). Wonders continue in the art of Louis Henry Mitchell, Sesame Workshop’s Creative Director of Character Development, and Joe Matthieu, a premier illustrator of Sesame Street books—both long-time Rockwell admirers. Big Bird, Kermit, Grover, Cookie Monster, and Grover are among the beloved characters who make appearances in their outstanding donations.

An important series of drawings by “popular realist” Burton Silverman commemorates the bicentennial of the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia and the progressive work of our nation’s founders—a testament to their belief in a new form of government, by the people and for the people. Published on television and in print by commentator Bill Moyers, Silverman’s drawings portray his impassioned subjects in moments of heated debate, and feature such noteworthy figures as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and George Mason. This acquisition was kindly supported by the Audrey Love Charitable Foundation and Wendy and Stephen Shalen.

Illustrators of the Golden Age are more broadly represented thanks to our Board and National Council Members. Among other donations, Board Chairman Robert T. Horvath has ensured that each of The Red Rose Girls are featured, including Jesse Willcox Smith, Elizabeth Shippen Green, and Violet Oakley. Exceptional story illustrations from the early twentieth-century, generously donated by Trustee Richard Kelly, include elegant en grisaille works by Walter Appleton Clark, Frederic Gruger, Jay Hambidge, Russell Patterson, Lynd Ward, and others. Depression and World War II era illustratons for American Legion, Life, and National Legionnaire by humorist Wally Wallgren, generously provided by Alice Carter and Courtney Granner, bring the Depression and World War II era to light.

Rare mid-century Saturday Evening Post cover studies by Rockwell’s fellow illustrator Stevan Dohanos have come into the collection through the artist’s granddaughters, Daisy and Nina Dohanos. These colorful gouache paintings reflect the artist’s process as related to some of his most memorable works. An outstanding collection of original paperback paintings by virtuoso Robert A. Maguire reflect an important market for artists from the mid to late century—cover illustration for romance novels.

In the Archives, a gift from Sally Hill Cooper, Rockwell’s maternal cousin, features geneology information, photographs, clippings, and correspondence dating from the 1880s sheds light on the Hill family’s history and lineage. The Michael W. Thacher Autograph and Ephemera Collection makes accessible extensive correspondence offering insights into Rockwell’s working relationship with such clients as The Saturday Evening Post, Top Value Stamps, The Franklin Mint, and the Famous Artists School, among others. Bound volumes featuring complete issues of The Saturday Evening Post from 1936-1964 from Larry Day offer important access to the publication’s contents at mid-century.

We are extremely grateful to the many generous donors who have supported the Museum’s ongoing mission to preserve and share a historically comprehensive collection of American illustration art, today and for generations to come.