A trio of Norman Rockwell paintings that for yearsresided at a New England museum named for him is
being auctioned in NewYork City."Saying Grace," ”The Gossips" and "Walking to
Church"are among seven works by the Saturday Evening Post illustrator atSotheby’s sale on Wednesday.For
nearly two decades all three hadbeen on loan at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Mass., whichhas
the world’s largest collection of original Rockwell art located inthe artist’s hometown."Saying
Grace" could set a new auctionrecord for the American artist, Sotheby’s said. The painting,
whichdepicts a crowded restaurant with a boy and woman bowed in prayer attheir table, has a pre-sale
estimate of $15 million to $20 million. In2006, Sotheby’s sold Rockwell’s "Breaking Home Ties" for
$15.4 million,the current record.Rockwell was paid $3,500 for "Saying Grace."It appeared on the
cover of the magazine’s Thanksgiving issue in 1951and was voted Post readers’ favorite cover in a 1955
poll.Theidea for the illustration came from a reader who saw a Mennonite familypraying in a restaurant.
Rockwell’s son, Jarvis, was among the modelsthe artist used for the drawing.The illustrator, who created
hisfirst cover for the Post in 1916, is celebrated for his reflections ofsmall-town America and portraits of
famous figures. Rockwell spent 47years at the magazine and produced 321 covers. He died in
1978."TheGossips," which was a cover illustration for the March 6, 1948, issue,is estimated to
bring $6 million to $9 million. It depicts a montage ofthe artist’s neighbors, his wife Mary and Rockwell
himselffinger-wagging and yammering on the phone."Walking to Church"could fetch $3 million to $5
million. It appeared on the cover of theApril 4, 1953, issue and shows a family dressed in their Sunday
bestwalking along a city street. Rockwell based it on a painting by JohannVermeer.All seven Rockwell works
are being sold by the family ofKenneth Stuart, Rockwell’s longtime art director at the magazine. Thesale
comes years after a legal battle over the works among Stuart’sthree sons. Rockwell and Stuart worked
together at the magazine for 18years.Laurie Norton Moffatt, the director at the Rockwell museum,has
expressed hope that the three Rockwells will eventually bereturned."We cared for them like children.
… We hope they come back some day. We believe that’s where they belong," she said.Copyright 2013 The
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