“The Connoisseur” is a work by Norman Rockwell, an artist well-known for his depictions of American life. Painted in 1962, this oil on canvas genre painting belongs to the Regionalism art movement and measures 37 3/4 by 31 1/2 inches. Although the artwork is currently held in a private collection, it conveys a narrative that extends beyond the confines of its location to a wide audience, evoking a sense of reflective consideration of art and its various forms.
The artwork presents a distinguished, older gentleman standing before a large, vibrant abstract painting. His back is to the viewer, and his stance suggests deep contemplation or perhaps confusion. With his grey suit, and hat in hand, the man epitomizes the well-dressed and sophisticated art patron of mid-century America. His pose, which positions him squarely in the center of the composition, facing the abstract expressionist painting, creates a stark contrast between the conventional and modern, the familiar and the avant-garde.
Rockwell’s work is intriguing not only for the narrative it suggests about the man’s relationship to the art he observes but also for its meta-commentary on the state of the art world during the 1960s; it questions the comprehension and acceptance of abstract art by the general public at that time.
