Freedom
Norman Rockwell, Rosie the Riveter, 1943, oil on canvas, 52 x 40 in. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas, 2007.178. © SEPS by Curtis Licensing. Photography by Dwight Primiano.
Norman Rockwell
Rosie the Riveter
- Have you seen the figure in this painting before? If not, does the artist give you any clues as to who this person is, what they do for a living, or what their interests might be?
Rosie the Riveter, Rockwell’s iconic image of an American woman employed in the production of military hardware, is a powerful reminder of women's critical contribution to victory during World War II. Pictured at rest during her lunch break, Rosie appears triumphant in her powerful physique as she spans the canvas, given a background of an American flag.
This image appeared as a cover of the Saturday Evening Post in 1943. It became a beacon of patriotism, as marked by the patriotic badges across the bib of Rosie’s overalls, and the tattered copy of Mein Kampf that lies crushed under her foot.
- How do you think Rosie, and other women like her, changed America? How have debates over women's rights shaped US politics and culture?
- What is the difference between gender equity, gender equality, and women's empowerment?
Content Contributors
Exhibition sponsored by Kenneth C. Griffin
Learning and engagement programming for
We the People: The Radical Notion of Democracy is sponsored by:
Sarah and Ross Perot, Jr. Foundation | Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates, & Woodyard, P.L.L.C. | Johnny and Jeanie Morris, Bass Pro Shops | Alturas Foundation | Harriet and Warren Stephens, Stephens Inc. | Sotheby’s | Bob and Becky Alexander | Marybeth and Micky Mayfield | Lamar and Shari Steiger | Jeff and Sarah Teague / Citizens Bank | Arkansas Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities | Avis and Bill Bailey | Scarlett and Neff Basore | June Carter Family | Terri and Chuck Erwin | Jackye and Curtis Finch | The Harrison and Rhonda French Family | Jim and Susan von Gremp | Laurice Hachem | Shannon and Charles Holley | Valorie and Randy Lawson / Lawco Energy Group | Donna and Mack McLarty | Steve and Susan Nelson | Neal and Gina Pendergraft | Helen Porter | JT and Imelda Rose | Lee and Linda Scott | Stella Boyle Smith Trust, Catherine and Michael Mayton, Trustees | William Reese Company
600 Museum Way,
Bentonville, AR 72712
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507 SE E St,
Bentonville, AR 72712
(479) 367-7500
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Closed
Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas.