tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200276.post3421442016382260600..comments2023-12-28T06:30:48.808-05:00Comments on The Rule of Reason: Five Great American Paintings (Part II: The Homecoming Marine)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200276.post-4577440724180818942018-12-14T09:54:48.224-05:002018-12-14T09:54:48.224-05:00I'm also a fan of this painting, and use it in...I'm also a fan of this painting, and use it in a course I teach to college freshmen. All the observations above are true, valid, and excellent. I'm not sure that the men around him are blood relatives. I think one of the biggest issues is similar to the claim about the AMerican idedal of the "citizen army." When this young man joined the Marines, was sent to fight in the pacific, and returned a reticent hero, he exemplified many young American men. Marines have a saying, "the change is forever." Before he joined up, Joe was the lowest guy on the totem pole. He was a grease monkey sweeping floors in the local auto repair shop, hoping to someday learn something of value from his employer. When he returned, he was a changed man, object of admiration by his former boss, by the town's police, a representative of authority, and by the youth who would aspire to manhood. This piece (I have a copy above my dresser at home) seemed to me to be about a sea change from youth to American manhood, and the change in status and self-awareness that went with it. A true "rite of passage" that forms the American man.<br /> Terbreugghenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05430677706052448504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200276.post-11586451411831800722017-11-12T18:50:13.673-05:002017-11-12T18:50:13.673-05:00Thank for this analysis in particular and for the ...Thank for this analysis in particular and for the series of five Rockwell paintings. <br /><br />May I share a couple of my own observations about this cherished favorite painting of mine? <br /><br />Our returning Marine wears the Guadalcanal Battle Blaze, just discernible, on his left shoulder, which, according to the, then (1943) current issue of The Leatherneck I saw quoted: "The Guadalcanal Shoulder Patch or Battle Blaze may be worn only while attached to the Ist Marine Division or one of the supporting units in the Guadalcanal engagements. " Which would put our returning Marine in a specific place, the very hard-won Solomon Islands.<br /><br />The newspaper article on the wall, which is a full-page (front page?) states, "Garageman a Hero," and "Marine Joe ..." the rest of his name in print is blocked by the Service Flag. The dark garment with what looks like hand painted "JOE" in two places must belong to Joe, our returning Marine. Maybe it's his coveralls to wear in the shop?<br /><br />I had my own theories about the relationships of the characters. To me, the mechanic sitting on the bench wearing a hat is Joe's (our returning Marine's) older brother, a strong resemblance, and the boy leaning against him is that man's son, or Joe's nephew. The other mechanic behind Joe I figure to be an uncle or older cousin as this looks like a family business to me and his age and posture makes me think that he is not Joe's father. Just by the staging of this scene, I think the brother seated on the bench has the closest relationship to Joe of these characters and is depicted as having the most importance, after Joe of course. <br /><br />As I look at this scene, I imagine the immediate moment before, which I imagine was Joe telling the story of how he came into possession of that flag, which I would imagine is a serious story that involved the real horrors of war experienced first hand by Joe. We see his brother in speech, I imagine his brother asking, "and did you ...." fill in the blanks, "kill him?" or similar and Joe is looking off, reliving in his own mind the events he is being asked to describe and how to put what he sees in his memory into words. Joe is seated low, on some kind of box with his hat pushed way back (not how he wears it, it would fall off like this) clasping the Japanese flag which he has brought back from the war. The heavy man, in white shirt and peaked cap, postman? writes parking tickets? some very minor office, does not appear to be smiling to me but more in a grimace or a wince as if what he has just heard is difficult to hear without flinching. The intense focus of the group tells me that it is a grisly story.<br /><br />Forgive me, but I am sure that the brother is not holding a cigarette but something else. It would fall out of his hand if it were a cigarette, it's not between his index and middle fingers. It appears to be longer, maybe three inches long and extends back under his thumb. It appears to possibly be metallic? with bold dark markings: is that an "A" or an "H"? and right at the tip of his thumb is a very bold and distinct "X" - - what is it?? I really don't think it's a cigarette. Is it another war souvenir that Joe brought?<br /><br />If the kid next to Joe is his little brother, he is a lot younger. But he sits right up close to Joe, on the same box, legs touching, he's comfortable being close to him, like a brother. And yes, his hands are tightly clasped, looking up to Joe. <br /><br />I love this illustration so much! Thank you for your astute analysis of this and all five of the Rockwells you chose for this!John J Nowhere Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02981530520285292522noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200276.post-66165655061088109702015-10-21T22:12:51.872-04:002015-10-21T22:12:51.872-04:00Thank you for your kind words.Thank you for your kind words.Nicholas Provenzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10926131141263622350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200276.post-82304684812090685412015-10-19T23:15:28.360-04:002015-10-19T23:15:28.360-04:00I recently purchased this painting in poster form ...I recently purchased this painting in poster form simply because it spoke to me, but wanted to learn a little more about it and that's how I stumbled across your analysis.<br /><br />Beautifully written. Thank you for taking the time to objectively peer into this stunning portrayal. I echo a previous commenter: I love this painting even more now that I've seen the details I previously missed through your eyes.AmySFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06554329402181374256noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200276.post-15423114437894279052008-07-16T23:46:00.000-04:002008-07-16T23:46:00.000-04:00Great analysis! /CWGreat analysis! /CWChristian Wernstedthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17546517031557163086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200276.post-16907116831864861532008-07-16T02:33:00.000-04:002008-07-16T02:33:00.000-04:00Thanks for the analysis.I too spotted the "joe" (s...Thanks for the analysis.<BR/><BR/>I too spotted the "joe" (symbolic of GI Joe?)on the clothing and assumed they belonged to the Marine, Also I thought they were overall, so wa thinking he was an employee before the Draft.<BR/><BR/>Lawrence oOLawrence of Otagohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08463288375146726939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200276.post-91648900490241854842008-07-15T00:27:00.000-04:002008-07-15T00:27:00.000-04:00I did not know how much I liked this painting unti...I did not know how much I liked this painting until I read your careful, exact, scrupulously detailed analysis.<BR/><BR/>Now I love the painting.<BR/><BR/>Based on your two Norman Rockwell paintings, you have a very great skill -- rare among Objectivists (or anyone else for that matter) -- for looking insightfully and deeply at a work of art and being able to explain it to those who wouldn't otherwise get it. I wish you were a prominent, widely known, and read art critic. I think you would force people to re-evaluate, certainly Rockwell, at bare minimum.<BR/><BR/>This little scene in the garage has a great power. The solemnity of the Marine, looking into a grim distance. The respect and rapt attention. Particularly of the mechanic on the bench and the younger boy. The torch is being passed in a way (a good, less understated, subtitle for this): There is a sense that the Marine is going to be a memorable life role model for the two boys.<BR/><BR/>Also quite satisfying is the spacing of the people. And the sense they are sort of a communing or meeting of the generations: each of a different age - the two boys seem to be perhaps 8 and 12. The two older men, maybe 50's to 60's and the oldest maybe in his seventies. The two working mechanics, might be thirties and forties. <BR/><BR/>Minor observations: If you look closely at the back of the picture it looks as if the Marine (Joe) has his high school athletic jersey up on a peg. And the older boy, in a red athletic uniform, has enough facial resemblance that he could be the Marine’s younger brother.<BR/><BR/>--Philip CoatesAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13888935223893390024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200276.post-7800792914923823912008-07-12T20:26:00.000-04:002008-07-12T20:26:00.000-04:00Thank you and Semper Fidelis!Thank you and Semper Fidelis!Words Twicehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10195366033641806212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200276.post-26082469410687109452008-07-10T11:12:00.000-04:002008-07-10T11:12:00.000-04:00Another great analysis. Thanks Nick!Another great analysis. Thanks Nick!LOG ME INhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15238302513816129464noreply@blogger.com