A Rockwell Painting Gets Beautifully Modified To Show Modern American Diversity

A standout lithograph from a historic Norman Rockwell series is returning to notoriety, thanks to (of all things) Tylenol?. This time, though, it has a modern-day theme, complete with modern diversity, thanks to modifications suggested by the pain-reliever company.

When Rockwell painted his ?Four Freedoms? series over 70 years ago, his goal was to promote sales of war bonds. The series ? especially its ?Freedom From Want? entry ? meant a lot more to many Americans, though, who?ve cherished that third of the four color lithographs ever since it first appeared in the March 6, 1943, edition of the Saturday Evening Post. The warm image of a family enjoying a holiday dinner not only encouraged sales of war bonds, but sentimentality for American traditions, too.

(Image acquired from Wikimedia)
(Image acquired from Wikimedia)

Even though American society has changed quite a bit since Rockwell’s series, those traditions are still present even within our expanding diversity (and expanding tolerance of diversity, too), indicating how much more of a ?melting pot? our country is today. To continue that sentiment in modern times, then, Tylenol? added just a few adjustments in this ?For What Matters Most? compilation. Says the company in its press release:

?To celebrate the holidays this year, the makers of TYLENOL? decided to put a modern spin on Norman Rockwell’s classic holiday painting?Freedom From Want, to help illustrate how modern families come together to celebrate what matters most during the holidays.?

The ?For What Matters Most? series captures that expanding diversity, and demonstrating it through variations in ethnicity ? an African-American family, an Asian family ? and in lifestyle, too, seen in its inclusion of a gay couple’s get-together with an ex-spouse and father of their child.

And adding to that authenticity is Rockwell’s granddaughter, Abigail Rockwell, who appears in Tylenol?’s video of the series (see it at the bottom of this page).

?Our definition of ?family? is now expanding, so it’s not this fixed picture of what the family is. [?] America’s story and the story of Norman Rockwell are inextricably linked. What matters most is family, and that’s timeless.?

Here are the images of each, along with their individual comments, beginning with the Yee Hosida family:

(Image acquired from Tylenol: For What Matters Most)
(Image acquired from Tylenol: For What Matters Most)

?The holiday table is a way to help us remember who we are. Even after living in the US for a few generations, we still know where we came from and we incorporate our heritage in everyday life and during the holidays. Our centerpiece is the hot pot, which represents the mix of generations and cultures across America coexisting while keeping a piece of themselves. What matters most to us is that our family is grounded in our communal history.?

From the Garza family:

(Image acquired from Tylenol: For What Matters Most)
(Image acquired from Tylenol: For What Matters Most)

?It’s important to us that every holiday is a great experience, especially for our kids. Above all, we want to teach them how to care for the people they love. We want them to embrace our values and traditions. Whether it’s teaching them how to listen, or our great-grandma’s sweet potato pie recipe. A piece of us they can enjoy and pass on to their kids as well. What matters most to us is that we can leave a legacy for our children.?

From the Beser-Carr-Schneider-Musich family:

(Image acquired from Tylenol: For What Matters Most)
(Image acquired from Tylenol: For What Matters Most)

?We’ve had a bumpy ride, and worked hard to be the family that we are today. With two sets of parents, four kids, and a shared dog, we’re not a broken family, or a fixed family. We’re a super-family. Learning and benefiting from each parent and child. We spend every birthday, vacation and holiday together, always gathering in one place. What matters most to us is that we all know that we’re here for each other, to strengthen each other and help one another.?

And here’s the video detailing Tylenol’s goal:


 


 

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I had a successful career actively working with at-risk youth, people struggling with poverty and unemployment, and disadvantaged and oppressed populations. In 2011, I made the decision to pursue my dreams and become a full-time writer. Connect with me on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.