| Breaking Home Ties | |
|---|---|
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| Artist | Norman Rockwell |
| Year | 1954 |
| Norman Rockwell Famous Artwork | |
| Freedom of Speech, 1943 | |
| Freedom from Want, 1943 | |
| Freedom of Worship, 1943 | |
| Freedom from Fear, 1943 | |
| The Problem We All Live With, 1964 | |
| Breaking Home Ties, 1954 | |
| Russian Schoolroom, 1967 | |
| Rosie The Riveter, 1943 | |
| Complete Works |
Breaking Home Ties by Norman Rockwell was created specifically for the cover of The Saturday Evening Post and appeared on the September 25, 1954 edition. Originally this artwork was displayed in the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington DC. In 1964, it was shown in both Cairo and Moscow. It had not appeared in public for 25 years before being made available for viewing in 2003 at the Norman Rockwell Museum located in Stockbridge, MA. Mr. Rockwell resided in the same city from 1953 until his death there in 1978. At a Sothebys auction in 2006 the painting sold for $15.4 million dollars. At that time it was the highest valued work by Rockwell ever sold.
Meaning
The painting depicts a young man, his father, and a dog sitting beside a farm truck. The clever placement of a partially visible train ticket in the boys pocket and a rail in the foreground suggests the son and his Dad are awaiting the arrival of a train that will carry the boy away from home. Books and a “State U” pennant further tell us he is off to college. The father’s posture is slumped, indicating sadness over his son’s departure.
Art Form
Rockwell’s art form was a style of its own and perhaps best described as portraits of Americana.