Worcester Art Museum to Present Reflections on Rockwell

Tuesday, November 04, 2014

GoLocalWorcester Lifestyle Team

Norman Rockwell, Study for "The Nightwatchman", American, 1962, charcoal and graphite on paper, study for the "Saturday Evening Post" cover of November 3, 1962. The John Woodman Higgins Collection, Worcester Art Museum, 2014.142

The Worcester Art Museum Members Council will host Reflections on Rockwell, a Master Series Third Thursday program, on November 20 at 6 pm.

Master Series Third Thursday program

"In developing this new programming series, our aim was to prompt visitors to move beyond basic name recognition and form a more holistic perspective on what makes these artists transcend the time in which they lived to become the masters we recognize in our contemporary day and age," said Jon L. Seydl, WAM director of curatorial affairs and curator of European art.

The program will feature Deborah Solomon, art critic, journalist, and author of American Mirror: The Life and Art of Norman Rockwell. Solomon will provide a close-up look at one of America's most beloved artists. Solomon's talk will be followed by live music, light refreshments, and cash bar. The event is free with Museum admission.

Study for "The Nightwatchman"

Norman Rockwell's drawing, Study for "The Nightwatchman" (1962) will go on view at the WAM on November 5.

This work, recently acquired by the Higgins Armory Museum, depicts a museum guard having a coffee break at the foot of a knight on horseback. It will be displayed along with Rockwell's letters about the art commission for the former museum of arms and armor, as well as a WAM painting by the artist, The Wonders of Radio, giving insight into his technique and showcasing the artist's gift for narrative.

The exhibition, which will be on view through February 8, 2015, is part of the WAM's Master Series, six small exhibitions and accompanying talks held throughout 2014 and 2015 that encourage audiences to form new perspectives on some of the world's most celebrated artists. The monthly talks, hosted by the WAM Members Council, delve deeper into examining singular works from WAM's extensive encyclopedic holdings and significant loans from international institutions.

For more information about the 2014-15 Master Series and the Third Thursday speakers, visit here.