Rosie the Riveter

Saturday Evening Post cover May 29, 1943.

Norman Rockwell’s Rosie the Riveter received mass distribution on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post on Memorial Day, May 29, 1943.

Rockwell’s illustration features a brawny woman taking her lunch break with a rivet gun on her lap, beneath her a copy of Hitler’s manifesto, Mein Kampf and a lunch pail labled “Rosie”.

Rockwell based the pose to match Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling painting of the prophet Isaiah.

Rockwell’s model was a Vermont resident, then 19-year-old Mary Doyle Keefe who was a telephone operator near where Rockwell lived, not a riveter.

Rockwell painted his “Rosie” as a larger woman than his model, and he later phoned to apologize.

The Post’s cover image proved hugely popular, and the magazine loaned it to the U.S. Treasury Department for the duration of the war, for use in war bond drives.

Norman Rockwell (American, 1894–1978) - Evoking 20th Century American Life

Norman Rockwell, an iconic American painter and illustrator, is best known for his illustrations of everyday life that graced the covers of "The Saturday Evening Post" for more than four decades.

His art captures the spirit of America and offers a nostalgic, idealized view of American life in the 20th century.

Rockwell's professional career began in his teens with commissions for Christmas cards and other publications.

By the age of 22, he painted his first cover for "The Saturday Evening Post," a relationship that would continue for 47 years, resulting in 321 covers.

Through his detailed and often humorous illustrations, Rockwell depicted stories of American life — from family dinners to civic duty and the experiences of World War II at home and abroad. His works evoked both the joys and struggles of everyday Americans.

Though often remembered for his idyllic and heartwarming portrayals, Rockwell didn't shy away from serious social and political issues.

In the 1960s, he painted some of his most poignant works, addressing topics like the Civil Rights Movement. One of his most powerful paintings from this period, "The Problem We All Live With" (1964), depicts Ruby Bridges, the first African American child to integrate an all-white elementary school in the South.

In 1963, Rockwell ended his long association with "The Saturday Evening Post" and began working for "Look" magazine, where he depicted topics like space exploration and the fight against poverty.

He continued to work into his later years, producing paintings, illustrations, and even an autobiography. Norman Rockwell passed away on November 8, 1978, in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

Throughout his life, Rockwell received various honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977. Today, his legacy is preserved at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge and he remains a cherished figure in American art, reflecting both the nation's ideals and its realities through his vast body of work.

His detailed, narrative style resonates with viewers, offering a window into the American experience across generations.

• Gather with family and friends for puzzle-piecing together!
• Pomegranate luxury puzzles are crafted with attention to every detail
• High-quality 250-GSM matte art paper for superior color, crisp details, and no glare
• Ribbon-cut thick board for snug fit and minimal dust
• Produced using thick recycled paper board
• Includes an 8 x 10 in. insert of the art for puzzle assembly reference
• Exclusive selection of art from museums and artists around the world

Box size: 8.625 x 10.625 x 1.875 in.

Puzzle size: 18 x 24in.