Rockwell Video Minute: Shuffleton’s Barbershop

Learn the story behind “Shuffleton’s Barbershop,” one of Rockwell’s most beloved paintings – now on the auction block for an estimated $20 million.

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In a controversial move, the Berkshire Museum recently decided to auction several of its works of art, including Shuffleton’s Barbershop, one of Norman Rockwell’s most unusual paintings. Rockwell’s family has objected to the sale, as have numerous art and museum organizations. After painting the image for the Saturday Evening Post for their April 29, 1950, cover, Rockwell donated the original painting to the museum. Sotheby’s, who will be auctioning this other works from the museum in November, estimates that Shuffleton’s Barbershop will sell for between $20 million and $30 million.

See all of the videos in our Rockwell Video Minute series at www.saturdayeveningpost.com/rockwell-video.

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Comments

  1. To the “that’s not a cello” fellows: what in the world is the seated gentleman with his back to us playing? An accordion that has a cello head glued to it?

  2. It is not a cello the gentleman is playing..it is a fiddle. The cello is played between the knees, not under the chin.

  3. That is not a cello the man is playing but a fiddle, or violin. The cello is big and sits between the knees…My dad was an old time fiddle player from vaudeville and silent movie days, so I sure know one when I see it…

  4. Alas! I remember with great fondness those long ago days of Rockwell and his snapshot of a way of life that is now only remembered by a generation that is quickly fading from the stage, whose lights dim and go out one by one. Mom, apple pie, grandpa, Uncle Sam, icons whose time has slipped by unnoticed.

  5. You’ll never get tired of looking at rockwell’s paintings. Look at them over and over and. You’ll find something new in them each time. Hats off to Norman.

  6. If Rockwell were still doing covers I wonder what one entitled ‘When People Were People’ would look like
    I’m 93 and the greatest fan of the man who most accurately depicted humanity.

  7. I knew David Squiers whose family posed for some of Rockwell’s most famous paintings. As a neighbor of the artist, Squiers has any interesting memory stories. Norman Rockwell was not only a great artist. He was an amiable, thoughtful person. Perhaps that is why he capture the innate goodness of his everyday American subjects.

  8. Greatest artist, ever. And the Saturday Evening Post the best magazine, I am enjoying the new issues immensely.

  9. You can talk of De Vinci and all of those since. But no one showed us of our time better than every previous artist.

  10. My favorite painting. The light draws your eye to the light and then the dark shop slowly becomes illuminated.

  11. No artist has ever come close to the talent, skill and social/family and historical interpretation as has Norman Rockwell. His works are immediately recognized. He is a legend and as far as l am concerned the equal of Rembrant, Michaelangelo, Davinci and ALL the great artists of the past and present. Lynn Hutton, Glen Allen, Virginia

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