Norman Rockwell was born in New York City in 1894. He always wanted to be an artist. Before he was sixteen he was commissioned to do some Christmas Cards. Soon after the Boy Scouts of America hired him as art director of Boys' Life. He freelanced and illustrated various young people's publications. In his early twenties, his art appeared in Life, Literary Digest, and Country Gentleman. In 1916, the 22-year-old Rockwell painted his first cover for The Saturday Evening Post. He considered the magazine to be the "greatest show window in America." Over the next 47 years, another 321 Rockwell covers graced the cover of the S.E.P.. In 1939, his work began to reflect small-town American life. In collaboration with his son Thomas, Rockwell published his autobiography, My Adventures as an Illustrator, in 1960. In 1963, he ended his 47-year association with The Saturday Evening Post and began to work for Look magazine. During his 10-year association with Look, Rockwell painted pictures illustrating some of his deepest concerns and interests, including civil rights, America's war on poverty, and the exploration of space. In 1977, Rockwell received America's highest civilian honour, the Presidential Medal.