Henry and Clara Ford in 1896 with Quadricycle, by Norman Rockwell, 1951-1952
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In this painting Norman Rockwell gives us an idealized view of Henry Ford building his first automobile in 1896. In a small brick shed behind the Fords' rented home on Bagley Avenue in Detroit, Henry fine tunes a part of the car while his wife Clara looks on, darning socks. The reality was somewhat different. Henry built the little car with the aid of several friends, and much of the work was done in a shop near Ford's place of work, an electrical generating station. This is one of a series of eight paintings Ford Motor Company commissioned Rockwell to do in anticipation of the company's 50th anniversary in 1953.
In this painting Norman Rockwell gives us an idealized view of Henry Ford building his first automobile in 1896. In a small brick shed behind the Fords' rented home on Bagley Avenue in Detroit, Henry fine tunes a part of the car while his wife Clara looks on, darning socks. The reality was somewhat different. Henry built the little car with the aid of several friends, and much of the work was done in a shop near Ford's place of work, an electrical generating station. This is one of a series of eight paintings Ford Motor Company commissioned Rockwell to do in anticipation of the company's 50th anniversary in 1953.
Artifact
Oil painting (Visual work)
Date Made
1951-1952
Subject Date
1896
Creators
Creator Notes
Painted by Norman Rockwell; commissioned by Ford Motor Company.
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
64.167.1325.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.
Material
Oil paint (Paint)
Technique
Oil painting (Technique)
Color
Multicolored
Dimensions
Height: 16.5 in (framed)
Width: 16.563 in (framed)
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