Happy New Year by Norman Rockwell

December 29, 1945 Issue of The Saturday Evening Post

Happy New Year, a Norman Rockwell painting, appeared on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post published December 29, 1945. This is another favorite of Rockwell collectors, a classic enduring image of the world Rockwell painted.

An alternate title for this painting is Party's Over.

This painting was Rockwell's 236th overall out of 322 total paintings that were published on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post. Rockwell's career with the Post spanned 47 years, from his first cover illustration, Boy With Baby Carriage in 1916 to his last, Portrait of John F. Kennedy, in 1963.

This was also the tenth cover for The Post in 1945. In 1945, there were ten Norman Rockwell Saturday Evening Post covers published.

The location of the original oil on canvas painting is unknown.

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

• on page 27 of Norman Rockwell 332 Magazine Covers by Christopher Finch
• as illustration 420 of Norman Rockwell: Artist and Illustrator by Thomas Buechner and
• on page 164 of Norman Rockwell, A Definitive Catalogue by Laurie Norton Moffatt.

Several studies also appear in the Norman Rockwell Catalogue on pages 164 and 165.

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

Happy New Year

In this Norman Rockwell painting, we see the aftermath of the first New Year's Eve party after the end of World War Two.

This was a time of great celebration in America. Many troops had returned home.

Many families had lost sons, fathers and husbands in the war, but at least the uncertainty caused by the war had concluded. As always, some had more to celebrate this New Year's than others.

This scene is the same as it is after most organized parties.

The guests pay a fee, sometimes exorbitant, sometimes reasonable, to be at the party.

The party is already decorated when the guests arrive, and no one has to stay to clean up.

Well, no one is not quite correct.

Someone always has to clean up the mess. The someone cleaning up this mess is clearly dreading his task.

This waiter, portrayed by Anton Ashenbrenner, is clearly disheartened by the huge job before him. His shoulders slump a bit when he looks at his chore. I do not envy him one bit.

Happy New Year!

Norman Rockwell's Happy New Year (1945)
(Image Only) Copyright © 1945 Saturday Evening Post & Curtis Publishing Company