The Upjohn Company recruited Norman Rockwell in the late 1930s to help bolster public support for the company’s latest evolution: the focus of its research had recently shifted from medicines made from plant-based products to ones derived from animal extracts and chemicals. This transition presented a marketing challenge as the company sought to reassure Americans of their safety. Before instigating a professional relationship with the artist, however, Upjohn executives asked to see an example of Rockwell’s work and were sent the charcoal sketch for a picture recently published as a story illustration in the Saturday Evening Post. Upjohn executives loved Doc Mellhorn and the Pearly Gates, feeling the image brilliantly encapsulated their desired public relations message. They purchased the final oil version of the work.

Rockwell ultimately created seven additional images for Upjohn that appeared as both print and display advertisements in pharmacies, hospitals and doctors’ offices throughout the United States. Seeking to convince wary consumers to view their pharmaceutical and healthcare providers with confidence, Rockwell presents a vision of American healthcare characterized by personal care and intimacy. Beautifully painted and displaying an acute attention to naturalistic detail, the canvas is imbued with the small details of ordinary people in everyday life. The balance of the composition, the warmth in the palette and the intangible familiarity of the scene all ultimately work to communicate a message of trust and stability during an era of enormous flux.

The story of the Upjohn Rockwell series is given in the company booklet below, which is in the collection of Joe Timko.

The above painting was sold by Pfizer in 2003. It was auctioned by Sothebys in 2013 with a winning bid of $2,629,000. Here's a link to the page describing that sale.

The above painting was sold by Pfizer in 2003. It was auctioned by Sothebys in 2013 with a winning bid of $1,145,000. Here's a link to the page describing that sale.

Here is some correspondence between Norman Rockwell, his management company and The Upjohn Company. Note that $5,000 was paid for one original in 1953.

The memo below discusses the need for insurance on the Norman Rockwell and Douglas Crookwell original paintings. Apparently in 1950 they were only worth $2000/$2500 each. It's likely that sum is what was paid to the artists. 

The photo below was scanned from a 1962 issue of The Overflow, the Upjohn salesforce magazine.

And finally here are company photos of the paintings commissioned from Norman Rockwell and other artists.