For many Americans, Rockwell’s icons of living culture were first experienced in the most unassuming of places, in the comfort of home, or on the train ride at the end of a long day.  Created for the covers and pages of our nation’s periodicals rather than for the walls of galleries and museums, Rockwell’s images were intimately understood by a vast and eager audience who saw the best in themselves reflected in his art and in the stories that he chose to tell.

Rockwell’s hopeful and admiring attitude toward humanity was the hallmark of his work. He loved to paint pictures that conveyed stories about people, their attitude toward each other, and his feelings about them.

During his forty-seven year affiliation with The Saturday Evening Post, Norman Rockwell was celebrated for his special holiday cover illustrations, which were commissioned to mark a full spectrum of annual events for an enthusiastic public, from Thanksgiving, Christmas, and The New Year to Valentine’s Day and April Fools’ Day.  Whether it was the presentation of mouth-watering turkey at the Thanksgiving table or a rosy-cheeked Santa checking his list to see who’s naughty or nice, the illustrations simply conveyed Americana. In a rapidly changing world, Norman Rockwell’s art has been a reassuring guide for over six decades, and it continues to resonate today.

The Upcountry History Museum – Furman University in partnership with the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts will host the traveling exhibition Norman Rockwell’s Home for the Holidays.  This beloved exhibition, featuring over 40 of Norman Rockwell’s most memorable and enduring holiday images, will make its South Carolina debut at the Upcountry History Museum.

In addition, we are excited to display original artifacts and four full-size original Norman Rockwell holiday themed oil paintings. We want to offer a sincere thank you to the following for their generous support of these iconic artifacts and paintings;

Christmas Homecoming is made possible through the generosity of Janis Bandelin and Bill Fitzpatrick

Christmas Trio is made possible through the generosity of Beverley K. Whitten

Merrie Christmas is made possible through the generosity of Ben and “Sunshine” Norwood

Uneasy Christmas in the Birthplace of Christ is made possible through the generosity of RFW Consulting Services/Rebekah F. West .

Presentation of original artifacts is made possible through the generosity of Kate and A. V. Huff