Freedom from fear

This document is an oil painting by Norman Rockwell called « Freedom from fear ».

It’s a painting which is painted in 1943. On this painting, we can see 2 childrens sleeping in a bed, with a woman just above them. A man with a newspaper in his hands who is standing is looking at the childrens. All of this scene takes place in a bedroom with blue wallpaper and a blue ground. On the ground, we can see a doll, and maybe just next to the doll, a black luggage which is open. In 1943, the world is in the middle of the second world war, and the parents are just looking to the childrens, who don’t know about the horror in the world. They are just sleeping in peace, and the parents perhaps don’t thinking about the war when they look their children, but actually, they are afraid.

Corentin Verhaeghe

This caricature, is inspired by the Norman Rockwell’s famous painting « The Runaway », denounces one more of police blunders, to the black community, in the United States. In E December 23rd, 2014, a white policeman, to fire on 12times, on a young black, who are not armed. The police gave a different version: the young person would have threatened both policemen, with a firearm, and it was thus of the self-defense « .

On this caricature, we see a black child, look innocent and afraid, without any weapon. Next to him, a policeman excessively armed, is looking threatening to the child. In front of them, the barman, seems collusive in the policeman.

These kinds of police blunders are frequent in the United States. Indeed, it is caused by rests of racial hatred. So, it’s not for nothing, that they chosed a Norman Rockwell’s painting, which has denounced, a lot of time, the segregation and the racism in its paintings.

This document is an oil painting by Norman Rockwell called « Freedom from want », made in 1943. The painting shows a classical american family at Thanksgiving when a turkey is traditionnaly served during the meal. The guests are very well dressed and hair brushed. The dishes are made of porcelain and the glasses of crystal glass. There is a perfect harmony between the guests. The grandfather is represented as the head of the family. The grandfather and the grandmother standing in the triangle which is a sign of grandness. The turkey is the focal point of the table. The character who is looking toward the viewer seems to invite him to the meal. Today, this painting can be seen at Norman Rockwell museum, in Stockbridge, in Masachussets.

This document is a cover paint by Norman Rockwell and it is entitled « Chain of Gossip ». The document comes from the magazine « Saturday evening post » of the march 6, 1948. This painting shows the distribution of a gossip by our-self, by all people, so we can see a chain of people, of 15 persons represent two time. The chain start in the top left-hand corner and follow the writing direction.

We can easily imagine that the first apparition of the character is for listen and the second apparition is for talk about the gossip except for the first character because she says the gossips then at the end she has abused by the man.

At the start, a woman say to an other woman something that she shouldn’t repeat but she repeat this and from gossip to gossip this thing arrive to Norman (the 14th person) who turn around the first women who is shocked because maybe she didn’t wait at this.

The morality that the painter would to do show is that we mustn’t say things which can hurt somebody and we mustn’t repeat this things!

I like this painting because it is funny but it shows a real problem

The contract of our Indian assistant unfortunately came to an end right before the holidays…what a pity! The pupils really liked her and she always proposed nice activities! We wanted to make her a little surprise for the last class and the euro students offered her some presents: a teddy bear (called Maxence), a white scarf, and a mug with a picture of the class on it. Pujasree was really touched by this attention!

We made some pictures and hope that we will have the opportunity to see her again… either in Lille or in Calcutta!

Goodbye Pujasree! We’ll miss you!!!