Norman Rockwell (American, 1894-1978) Some Day This May Save An Army, 1913 Oil on canvas 30-1/8 x 22-1/8 inches (76.5 x 56.2 cm) Signed lower right: Norman / Rockwell Property from the BSA Settlement Trust, Sold for the Benefit of Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse LITERATURE: "Boys Will Be Men: Four Boy Scout Paintings by Norman Rockwell," The Red Cross Magazine, New York, November 1918, Vol. 13, p. 35, illustrated; W. Hillcourt, Norman Rockwell's World of Scouting, New York, 1977, pp. 48-49, illustrated; M. Moline, Norman Rockwell Encyclopedia, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1979, p. 109, fig. 2-42A, illustrated; L.N. Moffatt, Norman Rockwell: A Definitive Catalogue, Vol. II, Stockbridge, Massachusetts, 1986, pp. 734-35, no. S463, illustrated (as Some Day This May Save An Army (Semaphore Boy)); J. Csatari, Norman Rockwell's Boy Scouts of America, New York, 2009, p. 20, illustrated (as Scouting Makes Real Men). An important painting from Norman Rockwell's early career, Some Day This May Save An Army reveals his gift for making a young person's efforts feel consequential. Two Scouts practice signaling from a timber platform above a town. Seen from below, the standing boy rises above the distant church steeple, his flags extended against a broad blue sky. His firm stance and concentrated expression give him a presence well beyond his years. Rockwell treats him with the seriousness of a military portrait, without losing sight of the boy beneath the uniform. Much of the painting's strength comes from its bold design. The outstretched arms and flags cut diagonally across the sky, while the heavy timbers provide a solid base for the figures. Bright red accents in the flags and neckerchief stand out against the khaki uniform and blue background. Rockwell pays equal attention to the practical details: the ropes securing the platform, the pouches at the boy's waist, and his companion watching through binoculars. The scene has the excitement of an adventure, grounded in the particulars of a Scout's training. Scouting played a formative role in Rockwell's career. He became art director of Boys' Life while still in his teens, developing his skills through subjects close to his own experience of youth. Here, his respect for the boys is evident. They are absorbed in their task, working together with a confidence that gives the painting its conviction. Reproduced in the November 1918 issue of The Red Cross Magazine in "Boys Will Be Men: Four Boy Scout Paintings by Norman Rockwell," the image had particular relevance for its wartime audience. Semaphore, a system of communicating through flag positions, gave practical meaning to the promise of Scouting: skills learned as a boy could one day serve a much greater purpose. The title brings that possibility directly into the scene. Some Day This May Save An Army offers an especially compelling view of Rockwell's early ambitions. His ability to connect an individual with a larger American ideal is already taking shape. Above the rooftops, this earnest young Scout becomes a striking expression of readiness, confidence, and the responsibilities ahead. HID12401132022 © 2026 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved www.HA.com/TexasAuctioneerLicenseNotice

Lined. Some fine craquelure throughout. Yellowing to varnish. Under UV examination: varnish fluoresces, only a few very minor touches of inpaint in background.
Framed Dimensions 35 X 27 Inches