Soda Jerk by Norman Rockwell

August 22, 1953 Issue of The Saturday Evening Post

Soda Jerk, a Norman Rockwell painting, appeared on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post published August 22, 1953. This is yet another timeless favorite of Rockwell collectors, a classic for all the ages.

This painting was Rockwell's 271st 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 second cover for The Post in 1953. In 1953, there were five Norman Rockwell Saturday Evening Post covers published.

The original oil on canvas painting, 36 x 34 inches or 91.5 x 86.5 cm, is part of the collection of the Columbus Museum of Art.

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

• as illustration 78 of Norman Rockwell's America by Christopher Finch,
• as illustration 473 of Norman Rockwell: Artist and Illustrator by Thomas Buechner and
• on page 190 of Norman Rockwell, A Definitive Catalogue by Laurie Norton Moffatt.

Several of the original photographs used in the production of this painting, as well as a color reproduction of the painting itself, appear in Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera by Ron Schick on pages 116 and 117.

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

Soda Jerk

In this painting, Norman Rockwell shows us a six characters enjoying sodas at the local soda shop.

The charcters in the painting are three girls, two boys and a dog. Why is the dog in the soda shop? well, it is a Norman Rockwell painting, after all.

The three girls seem fascinated and enthralled by the young man working as the soda jerk. The expression on the face of the girl seated to his left looks like she positively adores him.

Rockwell's son Peter was the model for the counterman. The idea for the painting was based on Peter's recollections, observations and experiences of his summer job working at a soda fountain. The other models, except for the dog, were all Peter's classmates.

The boy at the top of the painting is sitting by himself, enjoying his soda. He appears somewhat jealous of the boy working the soda fountain. He is probably just jealous of the soda jerk's popularity with the girls.

One of my favorite details in this painting is the bandage on the finger of Peter. This detail reminds of an earlier Rockwell trademark, the bandage on the big toe of almost every barefooted boy he painted. Boys will be boys, as Norman Rockwell knew and painted.

Of course, the details of the surroundings are also painted with great accuracy.

In the top right corner, we can see the jukebox. Maybe the song on the jukebox adds to the soda jerk's allure with the girls.

In the foreground, we observe that the counterman has gathered up the dirty dished. Yet he has left them on the counter to go stare in the middle girl's eyes.

Maybe his enjoyment of all the girls' attentions was why Peter had such great memories of his job as a soda jerk.

Norman Rockwell's Soda Jerk (1953)
(Image Only) Copyright © 1953 Saturday Evening Post & Curtis Publishing Company