Norman Rockwell Freedom Of Speech

Freedom of Speech was the first of the Four Freedoms series of oil paintings by Norman Rockwell. In 1943, The Saturday Evening Post featured the series of images. Freedom of Speech was featured in the February 20, 1943, edition.http://www.best-norman-rockwell-art.com/norman-rockwell-saturday-evening-post-article-1943-02-20-freedom-of-speech.html

The painting depicts a man in casual dress standing and speaking at a town hall meeting. The fellow town people around him are turned to look at him as he speaks directly to a person at the front of the room. The men to each side of him, wearing suits in contrast to the man's casual attire, look as if they are listening patiently. After the recent protests at town halls across the U.S., The New York Times columnist Paul Krugman compared "idealized American town hall meeting" of Freedom of Speech to the behavior of angry protestors.http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/07/opinion/07krugman.html?bl&ex=1249790400&en=225bae516ff18d30&ei=5087%0A