AMONG THE MASTERPIECES ARE ILLUSTRATIONS BY NORMAN ROCKWELL AND J.C. LEYENDECKER
By Robert Wilonsky
The Wall Street Journal broke the news on August 27: “Boy Scouts to Auction Norman Rockwell Paintings, Other Art to Fund Sex-Abuse Settlement.” Other stories followed soon after, as Heritage Auctions announced it had been chosen by the BSA Settlement Trust to auction some of the most celebrated and iconic art created for the Boy Scouts of America. All proceeds from the auction will benefit Survivors of childhood sexual abuse while in Scouting.
Norman Rockwell ‘Homecoming,’ 1961. Oil on canvas. 44 x 33 inches (111.8 x 83.8 cm).
This is a significant development years in the making: The Boy Scouts of America filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2020 and three years later emerged with a court-approved reorganization plan that established the BSA Settlement Trust. The Boy Scouts’ 321-piece art collection was eventually transferred to the Trust, which is an independent entity tasked with evaluating the sexual abuse claims and delivering compensation to more than 64,000 abuse Survivors.
To date, the Trust has paid more than $25 million to over 6,800 Survivors.
Joseph Christian Leyendecker ‘Boy Scouts Signaling with Flags, The Saturday Evening Post cover,’ September 9, 1911. Oil on canvas. 30 x 21 inches (76.2 x 53.3 cm).
Heritage’s November 15 American Art Signature® Auction will include 25 landmark works from the Boy Scouts’ collection. Among the historic lot: Norman Rockwell’s Homecoming and Beyond the Easel (the latter a self-portrait placing the artist among his Scouting students); Joseph Christian Leyendecker’s Boy Scouts Signaling with Flags, a Saturday Evening Post cover from September 1911; Monte Crews’ Boys’ Life cover 1939 World’s Fair and Joseph Csatari’s 1976 Scout Handbook Eighth Edition cover.
Monte Crews ‘1939 World’s Fair, Boys’ Life magazine cover,’ July 1939. Oil on canvas. 35 x 26 inches (88.9 x 66.0 cm).
As the catalog notes, Rockwell had a 64-year-long relationship with the Boy Scouts of America, which began in the fall of 1912, when the then-18-year-old went to the Boys’ Life offices to inquire about work, a dream that became a reality by the time his first cover appeared in September 1913. Rockwell also accepted his first full-time job as art editor for the magazine that year and remained in the position until 1916.
But he was forever associated with the beloved publication, contributing more than 50 Boys’ Life covers until 1971, many of which – including Homecoming, which appeared on the February 1961 cover – will be offered by Heritage in this and future auctions. Beginning with 1925’s A Good Scout, Rockwell famously created 50 calendar illustrations for Brown & Bigelow, with the final one appearing on this country’s 200th birthday in 1976.
Norman Rockwell ‘Beyond the Easel,’ 1969. Oil on canvas. 29 x 27 inches (73.7 x 68.6 cm).
Heritage’s catalog notes that Rockwell “created countless images of duty, community, and friendship during his association with the Scouts. In this way, his work with the Scouts is a microcosm of his art: portraits of individuals who come together to become something greater than themselves in the fabric of a democracy.”
In total, Heritage will offer 59 of Rockwell’s most beloved Boy Scouts pieces, all of which were included in the BSA’s collection during a lengthy exhibition at The American Scouting Collection at the Medici Museum of Art in Howland, Ohio. Over the summer, those works were transferred to Heritage, which will continue offering additional artwork from the Trust in future auctions.
Joseph Christian Leyendecker ‘Weapons for Liberty, The Saturday Evening Post cover,’ 1918. Oil on canvas. 40 x 27 inches (101.6 x 68.6 cm).
“Heritage is deeply grateful to have been entrusted with what is undoubtedly one of the most significant collections of Golden Age illustrations to emerge on the market in recent years,” says Aviva Lehmann, Heritage’s Senior Vice President of American Art. “We are honored to present this museum-caliber collection, which not only celebrates the artistry of Norman Rockwell and other luminaries of the Golden Age but also embodies the rich cultural heritage at the core of our mission as America’s largest auction house. Equally important to us is the privilege of supporting the Survivors, underscoring our commitment to both the arts and social responsibility.”
The Hon. Barbara J. Houser (Ret.), the Trustee overseeing the administration and distribution of funds to sexual abuse Survivors, says: “These Survivors have waited decades to be heard and acknowledged, and the sale of these works will aid us in providing a measure of justice to them. Buyers should be proud that they will be contributing to rebuilding lives and helping to right past wrongs.”
Heritage will display highlights in its galleries nationwide before the auction, passing these iconic American images from generation to generation.
ROBERT WILONSKY is a staff writer at Intelligent Collector.