An iconic Norman Rockwell painting sold at auction at Sotheby’s in Manhattan on Wednesday for $46 million, a record for the celebrated illustrator and more than twice its pre-sale estimate of $15 million to $20 million.
The now multi-million dollar piece, entitled “Saying Grace,” appeared on cover of the Saturday Evening Post’s Thanksgiving issue in 1951. The magazine’s readers voted it their favorite cover in a 1955 poll.
Rockwell was only paid $3,500 for the cover. The idea for it came from one of the magazine’s readers, who saw a Mennonite family praying in a restaurant.
Rockwell’s son, Jarvis, was among the models used for the drawing.
The 43-by- 41-inch painting had been a gift from Rockwell to a couple and was on loan at the Norman Rockwell Museum at Stockbridge, Mass.
The previous record for a Rockwell was more than $15 million for his “Breaking Home Ties,” which was sold at Sotheby’s in 2006.
Two other Rockwell paintings that were Saturday Evening Post covers, “The Gossips” and “Walking to Church,” sold Wednesday for just under $8.5 million and a little over $3.2 million respectively. There were seven total Rockwell works in the auction.
Rockwell, who created his first cover for the Post in 1916, is known for his reflections of small-town America and portraits of famous figures. Rockwell spent 47 years at the magazine and produced 321 covers. He died in 1978 at age 84.