While in Vermont, one of our pursuits was the Normal Rockwell Museum. I grew up with these images in heavy wooden frames all around our house and was excited to take a closer look at some of his lesser-known paintings. I'd been to the museum a few years ago, but what interested me this time was Rockwell's portrayal of women. I was not disappointed.
What I found was a surprising openness to gender role transgression in Rockwell's children, well, specifically in regard to girls taking on traditionally male roles. In his illustrations, little girls are frequently shown as active participants in many games and sports. In some cases, they even seem to show up their male counterparts.
However, something changes at adolescence. The girls in his illustrations seem to receive a different message altogether. Note the progression here:
And while there are some surprising moments of seeming gender equality, what follows is a clear definition of separate spheres for men and women. Rockwell's adult subjects clearly do not have the freedom to transgress their gender roles as much as the children did.
Then again, Rockwell did somewhat redeem himself with Rosie the Riveter, modeled after a local telephone operator:
All in all, Rockwell offers a fascinating window into the construction and later transgression of gender roles in this country.
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2 comments:
Whoa! That was so well done! I loved the analysis over women's lifespans.
Rockwell has finally made it to Tacoma, WA and I am very excited! I am studying the message that Rockwell's Art conveys overall. Sadly, most Art critics in America discredit Rockwell as a serious artist due to his content and flatly rendered paintings. But, I am excited to have a one on one interaction with his paintings and to gain a personal opinion on this matter. I love how you found a way to discuss gender roles within his Art. Nice job!
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