1. Norman Rockwell was born on February 1894 and died of emphysema in November 1978. He was a 20th-century American painter and illustrator.
2. He created life illustrations for the Saturday Evening Post magazine over more than four decades.

3. He was also famous for his works in the Boy Scouts of America publication and for his iconographic advertisements for companies including Coca-Cola, Ford Motor Company and Sun-Maid Raisins.

4. He painted portraits for Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon, as well as other foreign presidents and movie stars of his day.

5. His art made him a bit of a celebrity and twice he judged the Miss America Beauty Pageant. He also endorsed products including after-shave, tombstones and wine.

6. Norman was thin, poorly coordinated, and needed glasses and corrective shoes.

7. He tried to enlist in the U.S Navy during the First World War but was refused entry because he was eight pounds underweight, at 6 feet tall and 140 pounds.

8. During the Second World War in 1943, Norman painted the Four Freedoms series, which he completed in seven months and resulted in him losing 15 pounds. The series was inspired by a Franklin D Roosevelt speech in which he described four principles for universal rights: Freedom from Want, Freedom of Speech, Freedom to Worship, and Freedom from Fear.


8. In 1943 a fire in Norman"s studio destroyed numerous original paintings, costumes, and props.


9. He was commissioned to illustrate over 40 books including Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.


10.The 1994 film Forest Gump includes a shot in a school that re-creates Rockwell's "Girl with Black Eye with young Forrest in place of the girl. Much of the film drew heavy visual inspiration from Rockwell's art.
1. Norman Rockwell was born on February 1894 and died of emphysema in November 1978. He was a 20th-century American painter and illustrator.


2. He created life illustrations for the Saturday Evening Post magazine over more than four decades.


3. He was also famous for his works in the Boy Scouts of America publication and for his iconographic advertisements for companies including Coca-Cola, Ford Motor Company and Sun-Maid Raisins.


4. He painted portraits for Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon, as well as other foreign presidents and movie stars of his day.

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5. His art made him a bit of a celebrity and twice he judged the Miss America Beauty Pageant. He also endorsed products including after-shave, tombstones and wine.

6. Norman was thin, poorly coordinated, and needed glasses and corrective shoes.

7. He tried to enlist in the U.S Navy during the First World War but was refused entry because he was eight pounds underweight, at 6 feet tall and 140 pounds.


8. During the Second World War in 1943, Norman painted the Four Freedoms series, which he completed in seven months and resulted in him losing 15 pounds. The series was inspired by a Franklin D Roosevelt speech in which he described four principles for universal rights: Freedom from Want, Freedom of Speech, Freedom to Worship, and Freedom from Fear.


8. In 1943 a fire in Norman"s studio destroyed numerous original paintings, costumes, and props.


9. He was commissioned to illustrate over 40 books including Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.


10.The 1994 film Forest Gump includes a shot in a school that re-creates Rockwell's "Girl with Black Eye with young Forrest in place of the girl. Much of the film drew heavy visual inspiration from Rockwell's art.
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