- 59
Norman Rockwell
Estimate
300,000 - 500,000 USD
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Description
- Norman Rockwell
- What a Difference Light Makes! (Young Couple Surprised by Young Brother)
- signed Norman/Rockwell (lower right)
- oil on canvas
- 40 by 28 inches
- (101.6 by 71.1 cm)
- Painted in 1920.
Provenance
J.N. Bartfield Galleries, New York
The Collection of Mrs. Charles W. Fribley, Jr.
Gift to the present owner from the above
The Collection of Mrs. Charles W. Fribley, Jr.
Gift to the present owner from the above
Literature
The Saturday Evening Post, June 12, 1920, illustrated p. 61
Mary Moline, Norman Rockwell Encyclopedia: A Chronological Catalogue of the Artist’s Work, 1910-1978, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1979, p. 168
Laurie Norton Moffatt, Norman Rockwell: Catalogue Raisonné, Stockbridge, Massachusetts, 1986, vol. I, no. A253, p. 367, illustrated p. 366
Mary Moline, Norman Rockwell Encyclopedia: A Chronological Catalogue of the Artist’s Work, 1910-1978, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1979, p. 168
Laurie Norton Moffatt, Norman Rockwell: Catalogue Raisonné, Stockbridge, Massachusetts, 1986, vol. I, no. A253, p. 367, illustrated p. 366
Condition
The following condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes, Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's.This work on canvas has been lined using wax as an adhesive. This wax lining is easily reversible, and this should be done at some point in the not too distant future. The paint layer is varnished and probably slightly dirty. It is in beautiful condition, with no damages or retouches visible either under ultraviolet light or to the naked eye. Rockwell's paint reads rather unevenly, but none of the dark or milky spots seen under ultraviolet light correspond to retouches.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
Catalogue Note
Norman Rockwell painted What a Difference Light Makes! (Young Couple Surprised by Young Brother) in 1920 as an advertisement for Edison Mazda Lampworks. Over a period of seven years he created at least twenty full-color oils for this advertising campaign, which was one of his earliest and most successful. These ads were designed to emphasize the comfort of living that could be attained through electric lighting and reproduced predominantly in Ladies' Homer Journal and The Saturday Evening Post.