Full Treatment by Norman Rockwell

Inscribed in the realm of social comedy and everyday luxury, this humorous composition designed by the painter Norman Rockwell and entitled “Full Treatment (Rockwell)” illustrates the delights of a full pampering session in an elegant salon. The artist depicts the naive satisfaction of a client pampered by attentive staff. The image offers an amused satire of personal well-being and social status.

In the center, a portly man wrapped in a white cape sits comfortably in an elevated barber chair. A barber in a light jacket massages his scalp covered with a warm wrapping towel. On the right, an elegant young blonde woman performs a manicure while holding a red bowl on her lap. At the lower left, a young shoe shiner kneels to polish his shoes with a brush. The client peacefully smokes his cigar while displaying a blissfully delighted smile. The solid petrol blue background isolates the group and emphasizes the brightness of white outfits and tools.

Norman Rockwell displays remarkable talent in the theatrical arrangement of characters and variety of poses. The precise work on white linen, leather shine, and skin tones bears witness to irreproachable craftsmanship in oil painting.