The Emotions Issue: Justin Conner Loves Norman Rockwell

We’re not sure if you kids remember or not, but when we introduced The Emotions Issue, we asked you kids to send us pictures of the people, places and things that you love. There’s been a small trickle, but we’re not nearly as impressed as we thought we would be. One of you jokesters even sent in a picture of your semen – a funny entry we thought, but you’re no Matthias Hermann, mister, so don’t even front.

Luckily, former Queerty contributor and Interview Magazine‘s Assistant Editor, Justin Conner heeded our call and sent us this Norman Rockwell painting. Here’s what he had to say:

I love this Rockwell piece for two reasons. First, it represents a generation gap with such compassion and without pretentiousness. Second, it was recently found behind a fake wall in a man’s study after he died, I believe by his sons.

Rockwell painted the piece, Breaking Home Ties, back in 1954 after his oldest son enlisted in the army and his two other boys left the nest for school, according to CBC News.

As for the painting being discovered behind a wall, it seems Rockwell sold the painting to his friend Don Trachte for $900. An illustrator, Trachte copied the painting and stashed the original behind his wall. His children discovered it in 2006, one year after Trachte’s death. Positively identified as the original, Breaking Home Ties snatched $15 million at a Sotheby’s action last year.

We didn’t know that. See? Love’s a learning process. We want to learn more, so send us your goods!