“The Party Favour” is an artwork by Norman Rockwell, created in 1919. It is executed in oil on canvas and is characteristic of the Regionalism art movement. As a genre painting, it depicts a scene from everyday life and is currently located in a private collection.
In the artwork, the scene captures a slice of Americana through the interaction of two children and a dog at what appears to be a party. The boy, dressed in formal attire with a black suit and red accessories, is shown pulling on one end of a party cracker with a discernible sense of effort showing on his face. The girl, on the opposite end, is dressed in a party dress adorned with a sash, bows, and a party hat. She seems to be more jovial and less forced in comparison to the boy, with her body language suggesting a playful engagement in the activity. A small dog with a bow around its neck enhances the pleasantness of the scene, looking up at the two children with an expression of anticipation or excitement, as if awaiting the outcome of their playful struggle or perhaps simply enjoying the festive atmosphere. The children’s engagement with the party favor, an item emblematic of celebrations, hints at the traditions and social customs of the time portrayed in Rockwell’s piece.