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Four Freedoms (Norman Rockwell)
| Four Freedoms | |||||
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Four canvas series displayed by date of publication
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| Artist | Norman Rockwell | ||||
| Year | 1943 | ||||
| Medium | Oil on canvas | ||||
| Dimensions | Each ≅ 45.75 by 35.5 inches (116.2 cm × 90.2 cm) | ||||
| Location | Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge, Massachusetts, United States | ||||
The Four Freedoms is a series of four 1943 oil paintings by the American artist Norman Rockwell. The paintings—Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Worship, Freedom from Want, and Freedom from Fear—are each approximately 45.75 inches (116.2 cm) × 35.5 inches (90 cm),[1] and are now in the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. The four freedoms refer to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's January 1941 Four FreedomsState of the Union address in which he identified essential human rights that should be universally protected.[2][3] The theme was incorporated into the Atlantic Charter,[4][5] and became part of the charter of the United Nations.[6] The paintings were reproduced in The Saturday Evening Post over four consecutive weeks in 1943, alongside essays by prominent thinkers of the day. They became the highlight of a touring exhibition sponsored by The Post and the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The exhibition and accompanying sales drives of war bonds raised over $132 million.[7]
This series has been the cornerstone of retrospective art exhibits presenting the career of Rockwell,[8][9] who was the most widely known and popular commercial artist of the mid-20th century, but did not achieve critical acclaim.[2][10] These are his best-known works,[3]and by some accounts became the most widely distributed paintings.[11] At one time they were commonly displayed in post offices, schools, clubs, railroad stations, and a variety of public and semi-public buildings.[11]
Critical review of these images, like most of Rockwell's work, has not been entirely positive. Rockwell's idyllic and nostalgic approach to regionalism made him a popular illustrator but a lightly regarded fine artist during his lifetime,[8][12][13] a view still prevalent today. However, he has created an enduring niche in the social fabric with Freedom from Want, emblematic of what is now known as the "Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving".[2]
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