Santa Claus Holding Little Boy by Norman Rockwell

December 3, 1927 Issue of The Saturday Evening Post

This painting by Norman Rockwell, Santa Claus Holding Little Boy, appeared on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post published December 3, 1927. This remains a timeless favorite of all Rockwell collectors, no matter what their age.

An alternate title is Christmas c. 1927.

This Norman Rockwell Santa Claus painting was the 102nd of 322 total published Norman Rockwell Saturday Evening Post cover. 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 of ten of 1927.

This painting also appears in two Rockwell commentary books. It appears as illustration 528 of Norman Rockwell: Artist and Illustrator by Thomas Buechner and on page 109 of Norman Rockwell, A Definitive Catalogue by Laurie Norton Moffatt.

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

This painting was Rockwell's fifth picture of Santa Claus featured on the cover of The Post. Rockwell's first Post Christmas cover appeared on December 9, 1916.

This Santa Claus picture continued The Post's long tradition of presenting a Norman Rockwell Christmas painting on its cover.

In fact, when envisioning jolly old Saint Nick, most people see Norman Rockwell's Santa Claus in their mind's eye.

And to think this Norman Rockwell Christmas picture only originally cost five cents the copy!

Santa Claus Holding Little Boy

This illustration features the largest close-up painting that Rockwell painted of the jolly elf.

This is the most personal and endearing of all Rockwell's Santa paintings.

Most of Norman Rockwell's Santa paintings have some humorous angle, a Rockwell trademark.

It is rare to see a Rockwell painting, especially an early magazine cover, without a humor angle. I do not see the humorous side of this painting. If you think I have missed it please let me know.

This painting is all about showing Santa's emotions when comtemplating children. Those emotions are love and wonderment, mixed with adoration. Just look at his eyes.

Santa's eyes tell the whole story of this painting. Rockwell did a masterful work painting those eyes. And his model gave him a beautiful expression to draw from.

Next we are drawn to his smile. His smile conveys absolute joy.

Is he comtemplating what the little boy's fondest wishes are? Or having read the boy's letter to Santa, is he feeling the delight the boy will experience Christmas morning?

The joy of giving far outweighs that of receiving. Just think of what joy Santa must know!

The halo around his head almost seems superfluos when we study the angelic countenance as Rockwell depicted it here. And yet completely fitting.

Merry Christmas and Ho!Ho!Ho!