Norman Rockwell: American Freedom

Norman Rockwell: American Freedom is the first comprehensive exhibition devoted to Norman Rockwell’s iconic depictions of the Four Freedoms outlined by Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Worship, Freedom from Fear, and Freedom from Want. The presentation explores how Rockwell’s 1943 paintings came to be embraced by millions of Americans. These works of art provided crucial aid to the war effort and took their place among the most indelible images in the history of American art.

Organized by the Norman Rockwell Museum, the exhibition features a range of works in addition to Rockwell’s celebrated images of the Four Freedoms. Norman Rockwell: American Freedom showcases paintings, illustrations, prints, and more by Rockwell (1894–1978) and many of his contemporaries, including Walker Evans, Dorothea Lange, J.C. Leyendecker, Arthur Rothstein, Mead Schaeffer, Ben Shahn, and Arthur Szyk.

Historical documents, photographs, videos, and artifacts throughout the installation bring the era to life. A selection of photographs from a contemporary response—the For Freedoms photography project by Hank Willis Thomas and Emily Shur—is on display in an adjoining gallery.