[Calvin Locke]

It's hard for me to believe [that] Spielberg [is] an aficionado of Norman Rockwell.

[Brad from Tennessee]

Spielberg is pushing 60. He grew up surrounded by Norman Rockwell--on magazine covers, calenders, posters, prints hanging in the classroom, in public buildings and later mugs, placematts, lunchboxes with Norman Rockwell art on them.

Both men aim their work at the largest mass audience they can reach which they call the ordinary man. Though Rockwell worked in a completely different medium I can imagine Spielberg may identify him as some kind of historic mentor.