Norman Rockwell (1894-1978), American painter and illustrator, best known for his magazine covers and illustrations for such prominent American periodicals as the Saturday Evening Post, the Ladies' Home Journal, and Look. Rockwell was born in New York City, and he trained there at the Art Students League. His favorite subjects were everyday events that celebrated small-town life and patriotic themes. The scenes were often humorous and executed with minute attention to detail so realistic that his paintings frequently resemble photographs. He also designed many posters and painted a famous series, The Four Freedoms, based on principles pronounced by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1941 and incorporated into the Atlantic Charter. From 1926 to 1976 he illustrated the Boy Scout Calendar. Rockwell's autobiography, My Adventures as an Illustrator, was published in 1959.