Red Cross Volunteer by Norman Rockwell

September 21, 1918 Issue of The Saturday Evening Post

Red Cross Volunteer, this Norman Rockwell painting, appeared on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post published September 21, 1918.

An alternate title for this painting is Giving to the Red Cross.

This painting was Rockwell's fourteenth overall picture out of 322 featured on the cover of The 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 fourth Rockwell cover in 1917. The Post featured a Rockwell illustration on its cover four times in 1917.

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

This painting has reproduced in two Rockwell commentary books, as illustration 110 of Norman Rockwell: Artist and Illustrator by Thomas Buechner and on page 78 of Norman Rockwell, A Definitive Catalogue by Laurie Norton Moffatt.

Original copies of this magazine cover in pristine condition have been sold for well over one hundred dollars on eBay. And it only cost a nickel when it was new.

Red Cross Volunteer

In the painting, Norman Rockwell gives us a glimpse into charity giving in the Teens.

The giver in this illustration is an elderly gentleman. He is dressed in fine clothes. Everything about him suggests that he is at least somewhat wealthy and can easily afford to be charitable.

From the carnation in his lapel to the spats on his shoes, he looks the part.

He holds his cane on one arm.

He has removed his top hat and one of his gloves. He is reaching into his pocket with the ungloved hand to find a contribution.

The little girl is holding her contribution box up for him to easily drop his coins into it.

Her entire outfit matches perfectly as well. Whtie, pink and red all blend seamlessly. She wears the Red Cross on her forehead.

The gentleman cannot help but see her imploring eyes when he looks at her Red Cross headdress.

The girl is a cutie, but the real stealer of the show is the little black dog. He is also wearing the Red Cross. He certainly looks like a tireless worker.

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