Indian At Mailbox by Norman Rockwell

April 23, 1938 Issue of The Saturday Evening Post

Indian At Mailbox, a Norman Rockwell painting, was published on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post dated April 23, 1938. This image is another one of the favorites of Rockwell collectors the world over, an unmistakeable classic image of the universe that Rockwell captured on canvas.

An alternate title for this painting is See America First.

This painting was Rockwell's 179th overall out of 322 total paintings that were published on the cover of the Post. From his first cover illustration, Boy With Baby Carriage in 1916 to his last, Portrait of John F. Kennedy, in 1963, Norman Rockwell's career with the Saturday Evening Post spanned 47 years.

This was also the second cover for The Post in 1938. In 1938, there were six Norman Rockwell Saturday Evening Post covers published.

The original oil on canvas painting, 36 x 28 inches or 91.5 x 71 cm, is part of a private collection.

This painting also appears in three Rockwell commentary books. It appears:

• on pages 283 and 289 of Norman Rockwell 332 Magazine Covers by Christopher Finch,
• as illustration 317 of Norman Rockwell: Artist and Illustrator by Thomas Buechner and
• on page 138 of Norman Rockwell, A Definitive Catalogue by Laurie Norton Moffatt.

One study also appears onpage 143 of The Norman Rockwell Catalogue.

Pristine original copies of this magazine cover routinely sell for big bucks on eBay, when it is offered. And to think it only cost five cents originally! And it was mint condition then, too.

Indian At Mailbox

In this painting, Norman Rockwell shows us a bit of irony in the subject of junk mail.

Here we have a native American who has probably lived his whole life in America.

We do not know whether this man has traveled abroad or not, but his expression indicates that he has not.

But he is receiving untargeted junk mail from an advertiser telling him that he should keep his tourist dollars at home.

The "See America First" slogan was first adopted in 1906 by the Great Northern Railway to promote their new resort facilities in northern Montana. The Railway was trying to keep visitors from going to Europe in search of picturesque scenery. The campaign was an effort to promote visitors to the existing national parks, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Mount Rainier, and Crater Lake.

Obviously the mail part of the 1938 campaign occurred before the science of targetting prospects was developed. Either that, or the promotors simply mailed this brochure to everyone who had a mailbox.

This man's mailbox has seen its better days. It looks like it is barely hanging on its post.

I have often wondered why Rockwell painted his main character wrapped in a blanket. Sure, spring mornings can be chilly, but why a blanket instead of a coat or jacket? We know Rockwell was very thorough and intent on accuracy, so cutting a corner with the image would not have been a factor. Any ideas?

I believe that the idea for this painting came to Rockwell after he received a similar mailing. After he read the brochure, he searched his brain to find a person who would have absolutely no need to receive that brochure, the person who had never left America.

The character looks as if he rarely receives mail. It looks as if he excitedly opened his letter when he saw that he had received mail, only to find it to be untargeted junk mail.

Rockwell has just started using photography to capyure his scenes when he painted this picture.

The Indian's expression, captured by a photograph, was probably one of several that the model showed during the photo session.

Can you imagine having to hold that expression for the hours it would take for the artist to record it on canvas?

The use of photography in composing his images was a boon for his models as well for the artist, Norman Rockwell.

Norman Rockwell's Indian At Mailbox (1938)
(Image Only) Copyright © 1938 Saturday Evening Post & Curtis Publishing Company