September 19, 2026 – January 3, 2027
About
Norman Rockwell and N.C. Wyeth were two of the biggest names in American art of the 20th century. This original, large-scale exhibition features nearly 40 original paintings by Rockwell and Wyeth, two singular and beloved American icons who created their most familiar images full-size in paint before the scenes were scaled for print publication. In addition to the paintings, the exhibition includes a spectacular display of 323 covers of The Saturday Evening Post to which Rockwell contributed between 1916 and 1963.
Both Rockwell and Wyeth had a distinctive style. Rockwell’s name is closely connected with The Saturday Evening Post and his work truly reflected the currents of American life and times, capturing the essence of what is now considered largely “an America vanished;” while N.C. Wyeth is best known for his work as a book illustrator. During Wyeth’s lifetime he illustrated 112 books, 25 of them for Scribner’s. These were known as the Scribner Classics and constitute the work for which he is best known. The first of these, Treasure Island, was one of his masterpieces.
In a sense, Rockwell was the last of the 19th-century genre painters, but one who came into his creative powers at a time when a new market was opening up to a broader audience. Magazines circulated the nation with great popularity, catapulting certain artists into millions of households weekly, and Rockwell clearly had the right talent at the right time. In the 1920s and 1930s, his work developed great breadth and greater characters. His use of humor became an important part of his work. It was a technique he used effectively to draw the viewer into the composition to share the magic.
Wyeth’s valiant characters created prototypes of our American heroes, which have lasted to set the standard for movie, television and computer games. Even today, many protagonists are modeled on those first envisaged by N.C. Wyeth, as most boys see themselves in brave, champion roles and act accordingly when the occasion arises.
The opening of Rockwell/Wyeth: Icons of Americana will be celebrated with the 14th Annual Night at the Museum. Mark your calendar for September 19, 6-9pm and see page 8 for more details.
Exhibition sponsored locally by the Marlin and Ginger Miller Exhibition Endowment
With additional support from Tom and Donna Weik in honor of Robert P. Metzger
© 2026 exhibition curated and organized by the National Museum of American Illustration, Newport, RI. © 2026 exhibition curated and organized by the National Museum of American Illustration, Newport, RI, www.americanillustration.org and the American Illustrators Gallery, New York, NY, www.americanillustrators.com
Single Source traveling exhibition organized by: PAN Art Connections
www.pan-art-connections.com
