MAY 2019 BEACON

Norman Rockwell the original Selfie and Ourselves

This is my favorite Norman Rockwell. He was asked many times to do a self portrait and didn't want to bother with himself. Then one day he got the idea to do a self portrait of himself doing what he does; painting real life. With prints of the greats, Rembrandt, Picasso, van Gogh, and Durer on the side of his easel, we see him painting while looking at himself in the mirror but from the perspective of someone entering the studio and finding him working. Note the smoke from the trash can, indicating his own clumsy attitude toward disposing of his pipe ashes with oil paint soaked rags, the glass of soda perched precariously atop the reference books on the chair, paint brushes dropped on the floor, the gilded frame with the eagle and of course the Roman style helmet on top of his drawing. The realist drew himself as he wished to be perceived in the charcoal on the right; handsome, caring, inquisitive, honorable. Then he paints himself as he actually perceives himself in the mirror and back view, whimsical, workaholic, easy to laugh at himself and not on par with the greats he so admired, though many would argue the story telling in his images are second to none. Sometimes a little self introspection can be a good thing, and if one is in the position of always seeking help for others and then finds oneself in need, perhaps a little self portraiture is in order. Ron