The Babysitter Norman Rockwell

The Babysitter Norman Rockwell’s painting, The Babysitter (1947), has an eclectic feel. It embodies both a 1940’s style and a more modern twist. The subject matter is striking in comparison to the rest of the gallery that it is displayed in. The baby and young girl are quite different subjects than than the landscapes and numerous 1800’s portraits. The painting is almost cluttered, while many of the other paintings in the gallery are quite simple, really only focused on one or two specific pieces. Right next to The Babysitter is a painting of a farm couple, the background consisting only really of a fence and a subdued farm scene. The Babysitter’s busy canvas is a stark contrast, as it uses a variety of colors and shapes, as well as having very little empty space. The painting itself has a sense of disgruntlement, between the
First, the painting displays both very light values (whites, yellows, peaches) and very dark values (black and deep green). These are often placed right next to each other, like on the face of the clock or the shade of the lamp. Additionally, there is also a contrast of shapes. The canvas has many round and circular objects (the clock, the baby’s face, etc.) and it contrasts with some of the more angled, geometric shapes like the stripes of the lampshade or the papers and books on the chair. Finally, there is contrast in the texture of the piece. Not only are there a variety of textures in the actual paint like the smooth and shiny satin on the baby blanket, the course texture of the sitter’s hair, and the fuzzy texture of the stuffed bear, but the painting itself is a very different texture from one specific element that stands out. In the middle right section of the piece, in a swath of white, there is actually a real, three-dimensional safety pin stuck in the canvas. At first I didn’t realize this, but once I noticed it, I could hardly keep my eyes off of