The Holdout
I stopped by a used bookstore while visiting Decatur, Illinois. As I flipped through the pages of a Norman Rockwell book I discovered this gem. "The Holdout" featured on the cover of the Saturday Evening post on February 14, 1959. This painting features a strong-minded woman, holding fast to her principles, at a time when women jurors were still a rarity.
This is another self-portrait since we can see Rockwell painted himself as one of the jurors. He is the gray haired man in the blue shirt leaning in towards the woman. We also see Louie Lamone, Rockwell's friend, confidant and assistant, in the red shirt and jacket. The female juror was modeled by Barbara Brooks. Her husband, Bob Brooks, was the model for the mustached man standing next to the sleeping juror.
All the male jurors are drawing on all their powers of persuasion to convince the lady juror to change her vote. Thanks for standing your ground, lady juror. Us women have tried to follow in your footsteps for the last 60 years.
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