Norman Rockwell was born in New York City on February 3, 1894. At a young age he demonstrated a talent for drawing. He left high school to enrolled at the National Academy of Design and later to the Art Students League of New York. Upon graduating, Rockwell was hired as an illustrator for Boys' Life magazine, the official magazine of the Boy Scouts of America.
In 1916, he was commissioned by the Saturday Evening Post to created the first of what would become a series of cover illustrations, spanning 47 years, which gained him great fame. His painting depicted life in America that is now part of the American nostalgia.
In 1943, during World War II he painted perhaps his most poignant work a series of paintings by illustrating President Franklin Roosevelt's Four Freedoms: Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Worship, Freedom from Want and Freedom from Fear. The paintings appeared on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post and toured the United States raising over $130 million for the War effort. The painting are now on display at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA.
In 1953 Norman Rockwell moved to Stockbridge, Massachusetts, where Norman would spend the rest of his life. He began producing covers for Look magazine, changing his themes to focus to America's social issues including poverty, race, and the Vietnam War.
In 1977 Rockwell was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Gerald Ford. In making the award Ford said:
"Artist, illustrator and author, Norman Rockwell has portrayed the American scene with unrivaled freshness and clarity. Insight, optimism and good humor are the hallmarks of his artistic style. His vivid and affectionate portraits of our country and ourselves have become a beloved part of the American tradition."
Norman Rockwell died at his home in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, on November 8, 1978.