Norman Rockwell (American, 1894-1978). We Thank Thee, O'Lord, 1974. Oil and pencil on canvas laid on b...

Description

Norman Rockwell (American, 1894-1978)
We Thank Thee, O'Lord, 1974
Oil and pencil on canvas laid on board
34-1/2 x 27-1/4 inches (87.6 x 69.2 cm)
Signed lower right: Norman / Rockwell

Property from the BSA Settlement Trust, Sold for the Benefit of Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse

EXHIBITED:
National Scouting Museum, Murray, Kentucky, n.d.

LITERATURE:
Boy Scouts of America Calendar, Brown & Bigelow Co., Saint Paul, Minnesota, 1974, n.p., illustrated;
W. Hillcourt, Norman Rockwell's World of Scouting, New York, 1977, p. 108, illustrated;
M. Moline, Norman Rockwell Encyclopedia, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1979, p. 231;
L.N. Moffatt, Norman Rockwell: A Definitive Catalogue, Vol. I, Stockbridge, Massachusetts, 1986, pp. 294-95, no. A96, illustrated;
J. Csatari, Norman Rockwell's Boy Scouts of America, New York, 2009, pp. 104-5, illustrated.

Norman Rockwell's We Thank Thee, O' Lord stands among the most deeply felt of his Boy Scouts of America works, capturing with profound sincerity the reverence, humility, and fellowship at the heart of the Scouting experience. The composition depicts a small group of scouts gathered around a makeshift table beneath a yellow tent in the forest. As they bow their heads in prayer, they likely recite the familiar Philmont Grace, a timeless expression of gratitude spoken by scouts across generations:


For food, for raiment,
For life, for opportunity,
For friendship and fellowship,
We thank Thee, O' Lord.


The central figure-standing quietly outside the tent with his hat in hand-embodies Rockwell's unmatched ability to turn the ordinary into the universal. His posture, at once humble and proud, invites the viewer to join in the shared moment of reflection. The tent's golden canvas glows against the cool green of the forest, its light illuminating the scene with a quiet, spiritual warmth. Above it, the American flag serves as both compositional anchor and symbolic reminder of duty, service, and faith.

Heritage Auctions had the privilege of offering the charcoal study for this painting in November 2024, where it realized $175,000 (fig. 1) -a testament to the enduring resonance of this imagery and the care with which Rockwell developed his ideas before approaching the final canvas. While the study revealed his mastery of light, balance, and tone, the finished oil transforms those preparations into a radiant hymn to gratitude. Rockwell's painterly touch-seen in the dappling of sunlight across the ground and the subtle modulation of color in the boys' uniforms-infuses the scene with both naturalism and grace.

Painted at the height of Rockwell's mature period, We Thank Thee, O' Lord encapsulates the artist's lifelong devotion to portraying the moral fabric of American life. It is at once a celebration of Scouting ideals-service, honor, community-and a universal meditation on thankfulness. Few works in Rockwell's long collaboration with the Boy Scouts so perfectly capture the union of faith, fellowship, and quiet dignity that defines the spirit of America.


More information about Norman Rockwell. See also: Rockwell, Norman, Rockwell, Norman Perceval Artist.

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