Art of the Day
Norman Rockwell (1894 – 1978)
Girl at the Mirror, 1954
Oil on canvas
Click on image for a larger view.
As for a description of the painting, twirl_dawg summed it up quite well:
I think every girl can relate to this painting. The girl looking at herself in the mirror and she looks sort of sad, as if she is unhappy with what she sees. In her lap is a magazine with a picture of a beautiful woman. It’s sort of one of those “wish I looked like that things”.
for twirl_dawg, my 3000th ePropper
I thought I would add this little poem, as it seems to go well with the image … it’s one of my favorites.
The Girl In The Glass
When you get what you want in the struggle for self
And the world makes you queen for a day,
Just go to the mirror and look at yourself
And see what the girl has to say.
For it isn’t your father, mother, sister or brother
Whose judgment upon you must pass,
The person whose verdict counts in your life
Is staring at you from the glass.
She’s the person to please, never mind all the rest,
For she’s with you clear to the end,
And you’ve passed your most dangerous difficult test
If the girl in the glass is your friend.
You may fool the world down the pathways of years
And get pats on the back as you pass,
But your only reward will be the heartache and tears
If you’ve cheated the girl in the glass.
This picture always touches me to the core.
I just want to hug her and tell her about her special beauty and her uniqueness.
I’ve never seen that before. I love it! I’m no arty person but I know what I like and what has a message. This is it!
Thanks Swirly! I probably would never have seen it without ya!
Nyz xo
I’ve always loved this painting as it is very sweet. Mabye she realizes that she is changing and longs for the sweet little girl in the mirror, not the one in the magazine?
Hey, I tried the head bobbing thing yesterday and ended up with a stiff neck.
STP: Not THAT kind of headbobbing!
Man’s view: “PUT that mirror back on the wall, tidy that floor and get dressed – you’re supposed to be in school in 20 minutes time! Stop daydreaming and moping around, girl !”
Ie! I have this painting! It’s hanging up in the hall right by a mirror. No one ever looks in that mirror…. They simply glance…..I wonder why. I love Norman Rockwell’s paintings, they always bring such interesting emotions up.
I love that pic..
Very nice… I like the art posting. Very good idea. You are exposing a lot of people to things they wouldn’t have necessarily known about. Not that this painting is an unknown… But, the whole idea of posting art. Very good.
i love this!!! it’s beautiful….thanks Swirly…
I love it!
My parents gave me a nice framed print of that painting a few years ago. It is still at their house…I’m not sure where I would put it in my apartment!
I’ve always been touched by the doll tossed carelessly at the foot of the mirror. Ever notice that you can’t quite see the doll’s face while all you CAN see in the magazine is a face? Interesting.
In regards to Celtic’s comment: I noticed that. I got the feeling that this girl is eager to grow up very fast. That she’s tossing aside her childhood in exchange for the chance to be what the magazine portrays as beautiful. But she’s sad because she can’t be her.
Beautiful poem, Swirly. Very true, so very true. I don’t know if I’ve pleased the girl in my glass yet, but I’m trying.
I’m lookin’ at the man in the mirror
I’m askin’ him to change his waaaays..
Sorry. the Michael Jackson in me had to come out…
Did Margie just say thank you for exposing us? What did I miss?
I like the poem… very true. (and it doesn’t just apply to females
) It’s eerie… the girl in the painting looks jus’ ’bout exactly like someone I went to school with! Too many people do that, though… throw away their childhood – and the lessons learned in that time – too early in attempts to be like what is popular, what is chic, what is considered normal and modern and cool, or phat, or pimp, or whatever. (lol) Blessed be!!!
Excellent! The painting, the poem and swirlingthoughts for putting it all together for us.
We are so grateful. This painting by Norman Rockwell makes me want to check out other work by him. I’ll have to satisfy myself with a book for now.
Rockwell is my hero. 🙂
I always love your art of the day…another good one.. 🙂