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One of the professions that Norman Rockwell profiled in his over 1,000 illustrations for The Saturday Evening Post was that of the county agricultural agent, a “uniquely American institution.” For a four-page article in the July 24, 1948 Post, Rockwell shadowed County Agent Herald Rippey of Jay, Indiana, chronicling in ten illustrations his eclectic job activities: laying out a terrace line for soil conservation, culling hens, lecturing to the Rotarians about the fiscal ties between the city and the farm, testing recipes prepared by the Home Economics Club, meeting with specialists from Purdue University on plant research, and examining the Guernsey calf of a fourteen-year-old 4-H Club member. This illustration from the cover page of the article shows Rippey engaged in an especially important task, analyzing the soil of a farm to be used in fertilizer experiments.

PROVENANCE
The artist, gifted to
Private collection, Stockbridge, New York, 1961
Heritage Auctions, Dallas, Texas, 2015
Private collection, Winter Park, Florida

LITERATURE
The Saturday Evening Post, July 24, 1948, pp. 30-33, illustrated

Condition ReportAs viewed through glass. Paper appears to be in good condition.

Important Notice: Statements of condition are provided as a service to potential bidders; such statements are educated opinions and should not be regarded as facts. The Coeur d’Alene Art Auction has no responsibility for any errors or omissions.