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Featured image: Norman Rockwell / SEPS
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Rockwell Video Minute: The Gossips
How do you illustrate a rumor being passed around? Norman Rockwell figured out a way to do it in his painting of small-town scuttlebutt.
Norman Rockwell, © SEPS
Comments
I love Norman Rockwell, I have been to his museum 3 times. And the town in Vt where he first lived,
and the town in his painting.
What a glorious experience!!!
This is one of my favorite Rockwell covers, but never knew the story behind it, and figured there had to be one. The facial expressions are priceless, and the cover has certainly stood the test of time. You have to wonder if some embellishments weren’t thrown in along the way that made it more outrageous/funny to those hearing it and passing it on.
It seems likely the story was more innocent by the woman who started it, and she was shocked by all that was added that had Rockwell upset when he confronted her on it, but had to take the fall for all of it anyway. A good lesson to this day as to what can happen when stories or rumors are set into motion, and get out of control.