American life on Christmas, as seen by artist Norman Rockwell

Norman Rockwell (1894-1978) is renowned for his portrayal of American culture, particularly through his cover illustrations for The Saturday Evening Post, where he worked for 47 years. However, it is his depiction of joyful holiday scenes that have cemented his association with Christmas in the United States.

He was not only a highly productive artist, creating over 4,000 original works in his lifetime, but his representations of American life have consistently resonated with audiences since his first Saturday Evening Post cover in 1916. However, it is the association of Rockwell with the holiday season, particularly Christmas, that has become ingrained in American culture. Rockwell's paintings depicted both public and private moments in American life, and as technology advanced, he began incorporating photography into his work. He once explained that using a camera helped him to achieve more natural expressions from his models and also saved him and the models from physical strain.

Although not always highly regarded by art critics, Rockwell created over 300 cover illustrations for The Saturday Evening Post, which included a diverse range of successful paintings. However, Rockwell's association with Christmas, particularly with Old Saint Nick, began in 1911 when he was commissioned to produce Christmas cards for Mrs. Arnold Constable. Here are some of his Christmas paintings that have contributed to the iconic imagery of the holiday in America.

The Night Before Christmas, which appeared as Rockwell's final illustration for Literary Digest in December 1923, captures the excitement and anticipation leading up to Christmas Day. This painting also showcases Rockwell's appreciation for Rembrandt, as he employed the technique of chiaroscuro, or the use of light and shadow, similar to the Dutch Golden Age painter. In The Night Before Christmas, the candlelight highlights the sleeping child at the center of the composition, while Santa emerges from the shadows. This painting may have been influenced by Rembrandt's Saint Peter in Prison.

In Christmas: Santa Reading Mail, Rockwell depicted Santa as a generous and kind figure during the holiday season. The painting originally appeared on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post in December 1935 and was later gifted by Rockwell to its original owner. In this work, Santa is depicted with a golden halo, which references the traditional 19th-century Germanic image of Sankt Niklaus. The present is represented by a full brown leather mail bag from the United States Postal Service, which sits at Santa's feet.

Extra Good Boys and Girls is not only one of Rockwell's most iconic portrayals of Santa Claus but it is also considered one of the most memorable images of the jolly old man ever created. According to the book Norman Rockwell: Pictures for the American People, Rockwell is credited with helping to shape the modern American concept of Christmas through his warm and joyous holiday paintings, and Extra Good Boys and Girls is a prime example of this. The painting was featured on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post in December 1939 and its significance was recognized in 2007 when it sold for $2,169,000 at Christie's. In a society that was becoming increasingly consumerist, Rockwell's paintings contributed to the construction of the modern American idea of Christmas.

In Truth About Santa, Rockwell portrays a moment of realization as a pajama-clad boy discovers a Santa outfit while searching for presents in his parents' drawers. Rockwell's witty approach to the experience emphasizes the absurdity of the myth of Santa and the parents who perform it for their children. This coming-of-age painting, which was Rockwell's final cover for The Saturday Evening Post, could be interpreted as a metaphor for Rockwell's own departure from the magazine after 47 years. Just as the boy in the painting has outgrown the tale of Santa, Rockwell may have felt that he had outgrown The Saturday Evening Post.

To create his paintings, Rockwell utilized a combination of techniques. He used photographs of Main Street and snowy mountain landscapes in Vermont and Switzerland as reference and was inspired by prints of Siberian winter scenes. For clothing inspiration, he turned to illustrations from Sears, Roebuck & Co catalogs. In addition, Rockwell's assistant Louie Lamone photographed each building to ensure accurate representation in the paintings.