English – Family
Norman Rockwell
Baby Sitter With Screaming Infant, c. 1947
Cover illustration for The Saturday Evening Post (November 8, 1947)
Oil on canvas
[NARRATOR] Ever had to baby-sit? Did you have fun like this girl? She brought her homework with her. but she’s not getting much done. Look at the book she’s reading instead. I’m not sure they’ve got the right hint for this baby.
Look on the arm of the chair, for the white blanket. That’s a real diaper pin. Of course, when they made this painting into a magazine cover, nobody would be able to see that the pin was real — but I put it there anyway for fun.
That reminds me–remember how I try not to fake things in my paintings? Well I didn’t want to fake a crying baby either. I got a lady to bring in her baby to pose for me, and I tried everything to get her baby to cry.
[NARRATOR] I made faces, and I shouted “Boo!” But it was just too happy. Finally I told the mom they’d have to leave. When I told her why — she said ”Why didn’t you say so in the first place!”– grabbed a diaper pin — and stuck her baby in the leg.
[NARRATOR] It wasn’t the way I would have done it, but it worked.