The Massachusetts Medievalist always enjoys visiting the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge MA; the curators there do a great job swapping out the collection, so there's always something new to see from this prolific artist in the lovely, small space. This past weekend, I was intrigued to see part of one gallery devoted to "
This painting does take place at the Art Institute of Chicago and my mother was the "model for the mom in curlers. My mother, Thelma Soderlind Heagstedt. worked in the publicity department at the Art Institute in the "60's. When Norman Rockwell visited she was in charge of taking him around and securing models for the painting he was planning. However, Mr. Rockwell did not like the model my mother hired and said he wanted to use her instead. He took her to Marshall Fields and bought her the coat in the painting. When he said he wanted her in curlers, my mother said that nobody would wear curlers to the Art Institute. He said, "lets go for a walk" and proved her wrong. My mother was shocked. I would love to get a print of this painting if you know a source. I spoke to the Rockwell Museum/historians a while back and they said the painting is in a private collection. I do have a tear sheet from the issue of Look Magazine and have done some prints but they are very poor quality. He captured my mother so well, she is very recognizable. Unfortunately I used to have a thank you note that he wrote to her, but after many moves it seems to have gotten lost.
This painting does take place at the Art Institute of Chicago and my mother was the "model for the mom in curlers. My mother, Thelma Soderlind Heagstedt. worked in the publicity department at the Art Institute in the "60's. When Norman Rockwell visited she was in charge of taking him around and securing models for the painting he was planning. However, Mr. Rockwell did not like the model my mother hired and said he wanted to use her instead. He took her to Marshall Fields and bought her the coat in the painting. When he said he wanted her in curlers, my mother said that nobody would wear curlers to the Art Institute. He said, "lets go for a walk" and proved her wrong. My mother was shocked. I would love to get a print of this painting if you know a source. I spoke to the Rockwell Museum/historians a while back and they said the painting is in a private collection. I do have a tear sheet from the issue of Look Magazine and have done some prints but they are very poor quality. He captured my mother so well, she is very recognizable. Unfortunately I used to have a thank you note that he wrote to her, but after many moves it seems to have gotten lost.