i have a rockwell painting that i hope is real but how do i know for sure was he heavily copied?

Question

the painting has a woman leaning over to tie her sons tie while he is holding a book and the daughter is behind the mother wearing a dress with a hat with small flowers on it while also holding some sunflowers

Answer 1

First, learn the difference between a painting, a print and a reproduction and something about the life and art history of Norman Rockwell.

If what you have is framed and behind glass it will not be a painting but a print. Paintings are never encased in glass.

Much of Norman Rockwell's best known images were never paintings to begin with, like the one you mention, but were illustrations done for magazines. Illustrations are not paintings and if you have a framed illustration it's more than likely you have a reproduction of the original. Almost always, the original copies of the illustrations are retained by either the owners or the magazines, the publishers or the artist.

But Rockwell did paint original paintings. (Less than a hundred, but still they were paintings) Virtually all or these have been recorded and accounted for. If you still feel you have an original Norman Rockwell painting you can go to the Rockwell web site (operated by the Rockwell family trust) and they can validate it.

It's easy enough to tell if you have a painting. Look at the back of the art work. Is it framed on stretcher bars? Do you actually see canvas? Is the canvas slightly yellowed or faded or tarnished?

By the way: A print that is printed on a canvas instead of normal paper is still a printed copy of the original painting. A print printed on canvas is done so to make the copy have the look and grainy feel of the original painting. The edges of these 'fake' paintings where the color ends will be perfectly straight and perfectly flush to the corner because they were never painted on the canvas to begin with but were ran through a press that printed the image on the canvas.

Answer 2

As far as I'm aware, he was quite heavily copied - he's a popular artist, and they always are. The best thing for you to do is to bring it to an auctioneer or valuer and have them look it over. That's the only way you'll know for sure, although some people on these sites will tell you otherwise. If it is real, congratulations, you'll never have to work again!!!

Answer 3

Easiest way i can think of is to take it to a museum and make an appointment with a curator they would be able to tell you. Or look up an expert in your area that would be the best way.

Answer 4

Its probably a print. Is it on paper? Take it to a local gallery and have them look at it if you want to know for sure.