The Law Student, 1927 Norman Rockwell (1894-1978) Oil on canvas To celebrate the February 12 birthday of President Abraham Lincoln, Norman Rockwell painted this picture of a store clerk reading law books. While it alludes to Lincoln's own study of law, the chronology is slightly mistaken. Though Lincoln had been a store clerk and then part-owner of a store, it wasn't until two years later, after he had started a political career as a representative in the Illinois General Assembly, that he began to study law. The point is well taken, however, and provides a picturesque cover. Far from resembling Lincoln, the handsome Rockwell model adds to the cover's charm. Later in his career, Rockwell would paint authentic representations of Lincoln for Boy Scout calendars and historical illustrations.
Business invoices tacked to the wall identify this setting as the back room of a store. These papers, the leather-bound books, the tear sheets of Lincoln images, and the wooden barrel give Rockwell an opportunity to represent a variety of textures. Now that The Saturday Evening Post was printing covers in full color (note the capitals of the signature), Rockwell could use color to enhance his composition. He added touches of vermillion strategically around the student, eventually leading the reader's eye to the rosy glow of the student's light-bathed face, framing the scene and lending it warmth.
The Law Student earns a place as one of Rockwell's symbolic portrayals of the American dream, presenting the notion that with diligence, a person of meager means can aspire to greatness. Rockwell's own diligence was leading him to financial success and illustration fame, thus securing his American dream. In 1927, he was a member of the local yacht and country clubs, drove a canary-yellow Apperson Jack Rabbit, and spent $23,000 (the equivalent of $253,000 in 2006 dollars) building a studio next to his newly-purchased $38,000 New Rochelle house. Later that summer he embarked on a four-month tour of Europe with two friends. Painting for The Saturday Evening Post cover, February 19, 1927 36 x 27.5 inches Norman Rockwell Museum Collection, NRM.1979.4 ©1927 SEPS: Licensed by Curtis Publishing, Indianapolis, IN