On Feb. 10, 2026, the Art Institute of Chicago (AIC) announced a home run of an acquisition: The museum’s first painting by American artist Norman Rockwell entered their collection as a gift from Illinois’s former Governor Bruce Rauner and his wife Diana Rauner. The oil and gouache on canvas titled “The Dugout” is one of the most recognizable sports images of the 20th century. It was last sold publicly at a Christie’s auction in 2009 for $662,500.
This artwork was inspired by a baseball doubleheader that the artist attended in Boston on May 23, 1948, between the Boston Braves and the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs were swept, losing both games that day. Rockwell, a master of narrative, juxtaposed the dismayed Cubs in their dugout with jubilant Braves fans behind them.
Rockwell (1894–1978) is most famous for his work as a magazine illustrator. Over seven decades, he chronicled American life, from politics and patriotism to sports and social rituals, and intwined these themes with a nostalgic sentiment. He is best-known for the 322 engaging covers he produced for the weekly periodical The Saturday Evening Post over 47 years. The collaboration brought his art into millions of American homes across the country. His covers sold more copies than issues with artwork by others.
It was The Saturday Evening Post that gave Rockwell a baseball-related commission that led to “The Dugout.” While a watercolor was the immediate model for the Post’s resultant magazine cover lithograph published on Sept. 4, 1948, the AIC’s new painting is the largest and most elaborate oil study Rockwell made for this assignment. In addition to other oil studies, he made preparatory works in graphite and charcoal.
Love of the Game
Baseball was a subject Rockwell explored in multiple works, including other Post covers. The pairing of topic and artist was perfect, as Rockwell’s art communicates a sense of national identity and the sport is considered America’s national pastime. As Babe Ruth said famously, “Baseball was, is, and always will be to me the best game in the world.”
Rockwell’s expressive and realistic compositions are also known for touchingly championing the underdog, evoking sympathy and affection from the viewer. “The Dugout” contributed to the Cubs establishing a reputation as “loveable losers.” By the time the Post cover was published in September 1948, they were last in their league.
Rockwell’s artistic practice included using photographs of a scene as reference and making multiple studies in a variety of media. For “The Dugout,” Rockwell had Cubs pitcher Bob Rush, manager Charlie Grimm, catcher Al “Rube” Walker, and pitcher Johnny Schmitz pose for him with dejected expressions. Recruited volunteers, whom Rockwell rendered with a high degree of individuality, stood in as the high-energy crowd cheering for the Braves. Interestingly, Rockwell paid the Braves batboy $5 to model for the Cubs batboy.
This is the first time the AIC has owned an artwork that depicts their hometown’s baseball team. While the Cubs may be emotionally down in the dugout in this painting, Rockwell hits it out of the park.
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