Norman Rockwell

Lest anyone think that Rockwell painted only homespun scenes of Americana for Saturday Evening Post covers, this two-volume, 1200-page compendium of his known paintings and drawings sets the record straight. His forays into commercial art included lively, Dickensian Christmas cards and a strong charcoal of Abe Lincoln as a young rail-splitter. His biting canvas, Negro in the Suburbs, reminiscent of Ben Shahn, rings with a cry for social justice. His series of sketches of women gossiping transcends all genres, and his pictures of astronauts landing on the moon are genuinely moving. Ranging from wacky doodles to richly illustrated story illustrations, this mammoth catalogue, the product of 10 years' work, rescues Rockwell from his detractors and preserves those contributions worth saving. (September 29)