Misunderstanding Norman Rockwell

His paintings evoked an American innocence that didn’t exist—and that the nation couldn’t live up to.

Illustration by Liz Sanders. Source: Library of Congress / Corbis / Getty. September 8, 2026, 7:30 AM ET Share Save I n 1976, as the country commemorated its bicentennial, an aging Norman Rockwell, then at the tail end of his career as America’s preeminent illustrator, painted his last magazine cover, Liberty Bell (Celebration) . It was a tender—and notably low-key—tribute to national unity that doubled as a capstone for his body of work. For a decades-long stretch in the mid-20th century, the illustrator’s memorable images of smiling families and gentle, small-town interactions had filled the pages of national magazines, serving up a portrait of American life that was upbeat, idealistic, and reassuring. It’s a vision that has felt far away amid this year’s celebrations, once again, of the nation’s birthday.