The Party Favor by Norman Rockwell

April 26, 1919 Issue of The Saturday Evening Post

The Party Favor, this Norman Rockwell painting, appeared on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post published April 26, 1919.

The alternate title for this illustration is Children Pulling Party Favor. Another alternate title is Playing Party Games.

This painting was Rockwell's eighteenth overall pictureout of 322 total 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 1919. The Post featured a Rockwell illustration on its cover eleven times in 1919.

The original oil on canvas painting, 27 x 24 inches or 68.5 x 61 cm, is part of the collection of The National Museum of American Illustration.

This painting has reproduced in two Rockwell commentary books, as illustration 114 of Norman Rockwell: Artist and Illustrator by Thomas Buechner and on page 79 of Norman Rockwell, A Definitive Catalogue by Laurie Norton Moffatt.

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

The Party Favor

This Norman Rockwell painting gives us a glimpse into children's parties in 1919.

These two children are pulling on either end of a party favor.

Both children are dressed for a party. The boy is wearing knickers, a necktie, his best collar and knee socks.

The girl is adorned with matching hair bow and skirt bow. She is decked out in her party dress. Her dog wears a matching bow around his neck.

The girl has donned a party hat in front of her hair bow. The hat evokes military images with its shape and construction.

Maybe it provides a hint of what is to come.

Judging by the grimaces on the children's faces, this party favor explodes and makes a loud noise when pulled at both ends.

The girl is plugging one ear with her finger.

The party favor has a Union Jack painted on its side. Could that be its name?

Right now, the little dog is looking up and wagging his tail. He doesn't know what the Union Jack will do. He is soon to be in for a surprise.

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