Norman Rockwell Museum http://www.nrm.org/ The Art of Norman Rockwell: Currently on View Gallery Highlights: The Four Freedoms The Facts Behind The Four Freedoms 2003 marked the 60th anniversary of Norman Rockwell's classic Four Freedoms series. These iconic paintings firmly established Rockwell as a household name. Below we take a look at the history behind this patriotic series of images that inspired a nation: Freedom of Speech Illustration for The Saturday Evening Post, February 20, 1943 ©1943 SEPS: Licensed by Curtis Publishing, Indianapolis, IN In Franklin Delano Roosevelt's 1941 State of the Union address, the president outlined the reasons for our country's support of the Allied nations in World War II. In his speech, Roosevelt promoted the concept of the four basic freedoms to which all people are entitled: freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. Inspired by Roosevelt's speech, Norman Rockwell—then at the height of his profession—set out to interpret the optimistic goals set forth by the president. Rockwell wished to create something to support the country's war effort; through the creation of The Four Freedoms, he found his way. In four indelible images, Norman Rockwell painted a portrait of a country united. Rockwell wanted to express the freedoms in the simple everyday manner for which he was known. To achieve this goal he turned to his Arlington, Vermont, neighbors for inspiration. The artist recalled how Arlington resident Jim Edgerton had stood up during a town meeting to voice a decidedly unpopular opinion. Instead of objecting to his remarks, however, the townspeople honored the man's right to have his say. Rockwell felt this act of respect perfectly illustrated the idea of Freedom of Speech. His finished painting features strong contrasts; a central figure, dressed in working clothes, stands determined amidst a group of quizzical figures clad in business attire. Rockwell's next entry in the series, Freedom to Worship, was his attempt to illustrate the right of individuals to worship as they choose without governmental persecution for their beliefs. The painting's muted palette softens the contrasting skin tones in the multi-ethnic figures appearing on the canvas. Above the profiled faces, Rockwell further stressed the painting's theme with the simple text, "Each According to the Dictates of His Own Conscience." Third in the series, Freedom from Want, is one of Rockwell's best-known illustrations. The often-copied composition, depicting a Thanksgiving family gathering, includes a friendly face at the painting's bottom right that appears to welcome the viewer to join those seated at the dinner table. Light shining from the window offers viewers a warm welcome. As beloved as the painting has become, however, Rockwell had concerns at the time that the image depicted overabundance, rather than freedom from want. Freedom from Fear Illustration for The Saturday Evening Post, March 13, 1943 ©1943 SEPS: Licensed by Curtis Publishing, Indianapolis, IN Rockwell had similar doubts concerning Freedom from Fear, the final entry of The Four Freedoms. The painting depicts a mother and father tucking their children into bed at night. While the father holds a newspaper with headlines announcing wartime bombings, the light shining in the corners of the room works to dispel the foreboding aura of this somber scene. As he did with his previous work, Rockwell also fretted about this painting, concerned that it came across too smugly in its notion of American children sleeping safely while destruction and uncertainty were a reality overseas. With his self-criticisms of the latter two works in the Four Freedoms collection, it comes as no surprise that Rockwell considered Freedom of Speech and Freedom to Worship to be the most successful illustrations in the series. The Four Freedoms ran within the pages of The Saturday Evening Post magazine for four consecutive weeks, from February 20 to March 13, 1943. The original paintings themselves began a tour around the country in April 1943, raising $132 million in war-bond sales. The president, whose original words inspired the series, wrote to Rockwell, thanking him for bringing the country closer to a "freer, happier world." Freedom from Want Illustration for The Saturday Evening Post, March 6, 1943 ©1943 SEPS: Licensed by Curtis Publishing, Indianapolis, IN Rockwell's Four Freedoms served to bolster the country's mood: In the midst of the 20th century's greatest challenge, one man helped a nation understand the four fundamental freedoms owed to citizens of the world. In 1943, the compelling power of The Four Freedoms galvanized a nation to action. Today, in the midst of similar trials, its enduring message still rings true. Hanging majestically in their own gallery in the Norman Rockwell Museum, the paintings comprising The Four Freedoms continue to remain part of our public consciousness and collective memory. The original Four Freedoms paintings are currently on view in Norman Rockwell's Four Freedoms: Paintings That Inspired a Nation at the Corcoran Museum of Art, in Washington, DC, through September 6, 2004. View the original war bond posters for the paintings through the fall at the Norman Rockwell Museum.