DALLAS, TX.- An iconic Norman Rockwell work So You Want to See the President! — the artist's only known suite of four interrelated paintings on paper — was sold on Friday, Nov. 14 to the White House Historical Association for $7.25 million including buyer’s premium. The overall auction in which it was included resulted in $14.76 million, making it the most successful auction in the category for Heritage.

“The White House Historical Association is honored to acquire So You Want to See the President! by Norman Rockwell,” said Stewart McLaurin, President of the White House Historical Association. “The panels, previously privately owned, were often displayed in the West Wing for more than 40 years and will now be part of the Association’s educational mission to preserve and share the rich history of the White House.

“We are thankful to our supporters who continue to make our mission possible, as it was established by Mrs. Kennedy 64 years ago. We look forward to utilizing this acquisition to teach White House history for generations to come. In the coming weeks, we will be sharing more about the future of this significant and historic work.”

“This moment feels truly historic,” said Aviva Lehmann, Heritage Auctions’ Senior Vice President and Director of American Art. “This result honors not only Rockwell’s enduring vision of American democracy, but also Heritage’s commitment to preserving our nation’s cultural legacy. It’s a privilege to have been part of a homecoming worthy of the artist, his subject and the story he captured.”

That auction-leading Rockwell also breaks, by far, the auction record for a work on paper by the artist, and the sale of a Rockwell painting in the auction was the highest price paid for one since 2018.

Rockwell’s So You Want to See the President! was created in 1943 at the height of World War II and represents one of Rockwell’s most ambitious and unifying achievements: a sweeping visual meditation on democracy and the human face of leadership.

Commissioned by Stephen T. Early, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s trusted press secretary, So You Want to See the President! transforms the White House waiting room into a living cross-section of America. Soldiers, senators, Secret Service agents and citizens share the same space, each figure rendered with Rockwell’s inimitable blend of humor, empathy and precision.

For more than four decades, from 1978 through 2022, the four panels hung prominently in the White House, on long-term loan from the Early family. Their presence in the Executive Mansion made them a familiar sight to presidents, dignitaries and visitors alike — a daily reminder of the nation’s democratic spirit and of Rockwell’s rare ability to humanize history. The historic suite came to Heritage directly from the Elam family, descendants of Stephen T. Early.

“This is a bittersweet moment for our family as Norman Rockwell’s So You Want to See the President! will transition to new owners for the first time in the artwork’s history,” said Nile Elam on behalf of the Elam family. “Stephen T. Early’s close relationship and legacy with FDR was unrivaled, and through this artwork, Rockwell gave us a glimmer of this palpable relationship; rooted in trust, collaboration and confidence. So You Want to See the President! reiterated the public’s access to the highest public office in the free world at an uncertain and unpredictable time in America’s history.

“Our family’s partnership with the White House through this artwork — which was on loan and displayed within the West Wing from 1978-2022 — stretches back decades and seven administrations, and we couldn’t be happier to hear that these works will remain with the institution that inspired Norman Rockwell to execute his So You Want to See the President! in 1943. Recognizing this amazing piece of art will remain in a position to be enjoyed by future generations of admirers, through the White House Historical Association, is the best outcome we could’ve hoped for.”

The Friday auction, a boutique sale of only 49 works, saw a remarkable 98% sell-through rate with nearly 500 bidders. The tightly edited sale spanned the 19th century through early American Modernism, and highlights included significant works by Maurice Sendak, Andrew Wyeth, Ernie Barnes and J.C. Leyendecker. Friday marked Heritage’s third auction with the Boy Scouts of America Settlement Trust and in that selection featured eight Rockwell oils, two Rockwell studies, five works by Joseph Csatari and an exceptional Gutzon Borglum.

The next seven highest-selling works in the auction after the auction’s topper So You Want to See the President! were also Rockwell works — in this case, paintings that were included in the BSA Settlement Trust selection. Included here were A Scout is Friendly (1943), which sold for $984,375; Forward America (1951), which sold for $906,250; and Men of Tomorrow (1948) and I Will Do My Best (1945), which each sold for $812,500.

The auction broke the auction record for Joseph Csatari with the BSA-offered painting Scouting Heroes (2006), which sold for $87,500.

“This auction was a landmark for Heritage and for American art,” said Lehmann. “The enthusiasm we saw across every era — from Rockwell to Wyeth to Barnes — speaks to the vitality of this market and the passion of collectors who recognize the importance of our nation’s artistic heritage. Achieving $14.76 million across such a tightly curated selection underscores the incredible momentum in this category and the trust consignors and buyers alike place in Heritage to deliver record-setting results.”