SKU: p1548

"The Swinger"

It's a lovely summer day, and the grandchildren are enjoying a weekend visit with Grandma and Grandpa. The sky is blue, the sun is shining, and everyone is all smiles. But who's that "youngster" in sneakers having such a good time on the backyard swing? Why, it's none other than Grandma!

She's the carefree "swinger" who is the focal point of "The Swinger;' the 1983 issue in renowned realist painter Joseph Csatari's widely acclaimed Grandparent Plate series. And in her shining eyes and smiling face we see the "child" that dwells in the young at heart of any age.

But "The Swinger" is more than a heartwarming work of charm and whimsy — it is a skillfully executed masterpiece which provides a unique insight into the special relationship that exists between grandparents and their grandchildren and extols the enduring family ties that form the very fabric of American family life. A longtime protégé of Norman Rockwell — the most beloved American artist of all time — Csatari has developed a unique style which is equal parts meticulous draftsmanship, attention to detail, and genuine empathy for his subjects. He is, indeed, Rockwell's heir-apparent.

"The Swinger," faithfully re-created on Knowles' white porcelain "canvas," is Csatari at his best. It possesses the almost photographic realism that is Csatari's trademark, yet it somehow offers more warmth and insight than a camera ever could. Csatari has drafted every detail — from the buckles on the little girl's shoes to the leaves on the "swing tree" — with painstaking precision. Each muscle, each shock of hair, each fold in his subjects' clothing, is so true-to-life that one can almost feel their texture.