NORMAN ROCKWELL | Me and My Pal: Rivals

Brown & Bigelow, Saint Paul, Minnesota, 1954 (commissioned from the artist)
(probably) Martin Diamond Fine Art, New York
Eleanor Ettinger Gallery, New York, by 1979 (probably acquired from the above)
Acquired by the present owner from the above, 1985

Brown & Bigelow, Four Seasons calendar, spring 1954
Laurie Norton Moffatt, Norman Rockwell: A Definitive Catalogue, vol. I, Stockbridge, Massachusetts, 1986, no. A137, p. 317, illustrated p. 316

The following condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes, Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. This work is in beautiful condition. The canvas is still stretched on its original stretcher. The paint layer is clean and lightly varnished. There are no retouches. The work should be hung as is.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Me and My Pal: The Rivals is a quintessential example of Norman Rockwell's work for the publishing company Brown & Bigelow, which commissioned the artist to create illustrations for its Four Seasons calendar series from 1948 through 1964. Each year the calendar had a different theme, which Rockwell then explored in four separate illustrations focused on each of the four seasons. The full suite of images often depicted two central characters, typically a young couple or a boy and his dog, as they engaged in various seasonal activities throughout the year. In addition to their appearance in Brown & Bigelow calendars, Rockwell’s images were sold nationwide as prints and other collectible items. As is true of his magazine covers, the widespread national engagement with these images allowed them to become widely known and cherished by the American public. 

Rockwell’s Four Seasons calendars exemplify his seemingly effortless ability to imbue all of his works with a strong narrative element and indeed, attest to the remarkable cinematic quality that infuses his most successful compositions. The annual suite of calendar images closely resemble the storyboard of a film, with Rockwell providing the primary plot but encouraging his viewers to use their own imaginations to fill in the details of the overarching narrative. The commercial success and enduring popularity of the Four Seasons calendars defines Rockwell’s unique ability to select widely appealing subjects that would resonate with almost all Americans, and to inject humor into scenes of everyday life. “It is easy to see that had he not been a gifted artist,” states his biographer Christopher Finch, “Norman Rockwell might have become a successful writer or director for films or television. Situation comedy has been one of the most popular genres in both these mediums, and no one has a better knack for inventing comedic situations than Rockwell” (102 Favorite Paintings by Norman Rockwell, New York, 1978, p. 124).