American gothic and other fables by barbara haskell. This painting was established as one of the most magnificent painting to ever sweep history. The impetus for the painting came while wood was visiting the small town of eldon in his native iowa. In grant wood attention, but in 1930 his american gothic caused a sensation when it was exhibited at the art institute of chicago. American gothic has been interpreted as both a critique and a celebration of rural life, and it seems to. Almost everyone knows grant woods american gothic, the hypnotic painting of a pitchforktoting farmer and his daughter. The pieces staging is so embedded into american culture that even its countless parodies and homages are instantly recognizable.
The compositional severity and detailed technique derive from northern renaissance paintings, which grant had looked at during three. Wood was inspired to paint what is now known as the american gothic house in eldon, iowa, along with the kind of people i fancied should live in that house. During the great depression, the masterpiece gave hope to a desperate nation, and it. It depicts a farmer standing beside his daughter often mistakenly assumed to be his wife. I grew up seeing this painting, and knew a bit about woods iowan farmers roots and his traveling to europe to explore different art styles.
An analysis of the picture painted by grant wood american gothic was painted by grant wood in 1930. In this beguiling bit of juvenilia, a gray kitten, back arched and tail bristling, recoils in alarm from the spreadeagled rug. American gothic is a picturebook biography that explores the birth of the famous painting, the movement that made it possible, and the artist who created it all. Evans, an art historian at wheaton college in massachusetts, argues that even more has been misread, overshadowing a rich and varied artistic career. The technique is very traditional oil on beaverboard a composite wood panel. Grants art celebrated hardworking americans who finally saw themselves depicted in fine art. Grant woods american gothic painting the portrait of the two iowan farmers. American gothic is a picture book biography that explores the birth of the famous painting, the movement that made it possible, and the artist who created it all.
The painting is named after the window with the pointed arch. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. It would have been done in thin layers built up from dark to light with thousand. Analysis of american gothic painted by grant wood essay sample. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. The models never sat in front of the house, and each element was painted separately. American gothic and a grant wood retrospective are. This chapter by emily braun was informative and showed the wide reach of the book, with an especially engaging and creative analytic angle. The famous painting named american gothic was painted by grant wood in 1930, and is one of the most recognizable american paintings of the 20 th century. The story behind grant woods american gothic the painting is a touchstone of american culture, depicting an upright midwestern family on the farm. Jack pollock painting was created during the year of 1950. American gothic is a painting by american artist grant wood in 1930. Grant s art celebrated hardworking americans who finally saw themselves depicted in fine art.
The renowned painting american gothic is famous around the world, but what do. While this deceptively simple portrait has clearly captured the imagination of the nation. Grant woods american gothicthe double portrait of a pitchforkwielding farmer and a woman commonly presumed to be his wifeis perhaps the most recognizable painting in 20th century american art, an indelible icon of americana, and certainly woods most famous artwork. American gothic, grant wood 1930 culture the guardian. But the painting itself is no joke american gothic is as recognizable as the mona lisa and the scream. John stones ekphrastic poem entitled, american gothic, lends insight to the iconic american gothic painting by grant wood. The iowa painters prolific career and diverse body of work evolved from impressionist influences to increasingly realist portrait and landscape compositions that exhibit both flexibility and control of technique. Steven biel explores the strangely enduring life of americas most popular painting. The two paintings that took the nation for a quick surprise are american gothic by.
Analysis of american gothic by grant wood among the most influential 20th century painters of the american midwest, grant wood is famous for his unique contribution to regionalism c. Zombies, dogs, beavis and butthead, the muppets, lego figures, and even nicole richie and paris hilton have taken a turn with the pitchfork. The stern, sober countenance of the elderly farmer. Seminal regionalist painter grant wood captured depression era rural america with a nostalgic, earnest honesty of expression. In the 1930s he became famous in the us as one of the leading. Sein bild aus dem jahr 1930, american gothic, machte ihn international bekannt. John dugglebys artist in overalls is a quick and useful introduction to the life and work of iowan grant wood. In this powerful new biography of the man behind americas bestknown painting, american gothic 1930, art historian tripp evans challenges the all. Grant woods american gothic painting the portrait of the two iowan farmers, one with a pitchfork is housed in the chicago art institute, where i visit 23 times a year. The pointed arches used in gothic architecture held up the huge weight of these stone buildings. Grant woods american gothic grant wood was born in anamosa, iowa in 1891. Steven zucker grant wood, american gothic, 1930, oil on beaver board, 78 x 65. Painted small town america during the depression years.
The story behind one of the most famous paintings in american art. The composition of grant woods american gothic is almost as close to being symmetrically balanced as a picture can be without actually being symmetrical. Much about grant woods patriotism and masculinity has been read into the paintings pitchforkholding farmer and his dour companion standing in front of a midwestern farmhouse. Grant woods american gothic is one of the most famous paintings in the history of american art. Grant wood american gothic and other fables the new yorker. American gothic and other fables barbara haskell, glenn. Ever since it met the public eye in 1930, the painting american gothic has elicited admiration, disgust, reverence, and ridicule and has been reproduced hundreds of thousands of times, in every medium. Exploring woods oeuvre from a variety of perspectives, this book. The work ostensibly portrays a farmer and his daughtermodelled. His mother moved the family to cedar rapids, after his.
Before painting the american gothic, wood was a littleknown painter from iowa, but the prices of his works spiked once the painting became an instant classic. Grant wood 18911942 is bestknown for his painting american gothic, one of the most recognizable portraits in history, but there is much that is unfamiliar about the artist himself. No american artwork has been parodied more than american gothic. Illustrator macdonald wonderfully reproduces wood s art and brightly, clearly, illustrates his life. American gothic is a 1930 painting by grant wood in the collection of the art institute of chicago. It is probably the most reproduced and parodied works of art, and has become a staple within american popculture. American gothic grant wood canvas art oil paintings for sale. A merican gothic the longfaced couple standing sentry before their wooden house in apron and overalls, pitchfork in hand is the most famous painting in american art. He painted it in 1930, depicting a farmer standing beside a woman who has been interpreted. This familiar image was exhibited publicly for the first time at the art institute of chicago, winning a threehundreddollar prize and instant fame for grant wood. Grant wood, american gothic, 1930, oil on beaver board, 78 x 65. Gothic architecture developed in europe back when kings and queens ruled the world. More than american gothic a careerspanning show at the whitney argues that wood is far more complicated than his reputation as the sentimental bard of an idealized rural life. There he spotted a little wood farmhouse, with a single oversized window, made in a style called carpenter gothic.
Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers. Regarding american gothic, what makes the painting balanced. He soon then entered the painting into the art institute of chicago for a competition, and the painting was awarded the norman wait harris bronze medal. But to many fans of the pictureand its many parodiesthe rest. Now i know a little about woods life and how hardwon the recognition of his painting was. Few other paintings are so instantly recognizable as grant woods masterpiece american gothic. The 1930 oil painting will be the centerpiece of the exhibition grant wood. But woods career consists of far more than one single painting. Like most people, i was familiar with woods most famous painting, american gothic. See more ideas about american gothic, grant wood and american gothic parody. If it is by grant wood its an important discovery, since paintings in wood s mature style are as rare as vermeers. You can see the original american gothic at the art institute of chicago. The hard, cold realism of this painting and the honest, direct, earthy quality of its subject were unusual in american art. American gothic is a painting by grant wood in the collection of the art institute of chicago.
Woods inspiration came in his decision to paint what is known as the american gothic house along with the kind of people i fancied should live in that house. Grant woods american gothic essay 1408 words bartleby. Of particular note in my reading was the chapter, cryptic corn. If asked to describe this painting, most would recount a woman and a man standing with a pitch fork. The painting brought wood almost instant fame after being exhibited for the first time at the art institute of chicago in 1930. Grant devolson wood february, 1891 february 12, 1942 was an american painter best known for his paintings depicting the rural american midwest, particularly american gothic, an iconic painting of the 20th century. How american gothic became an icon is grant woods famous painting serious or comic. Grant devolson wood february, 1891 february 12, 1942 was an american painter best known for his paintings depicting the rural american midwest, particularly american gothic 1930, which has become an iconic painting of the 20th century. None of grants other works were ever as successful. Find art you love and shop highquality art prints, photographs, framed artworks and posters at. Few paintings are as iconic as grant woods american gothic. Wood painted the house along with the people he imagined might live there. The models on the painting were woods sister, nan, wearing a colonial print apron mimicking 19th century americana, and woods dentist, dr.
The life of grant wood wood, susan, macdonald, ross on. American gothic and other fables, an attempt to broaden and complicate woods. An excellent picture book biography of regionalist artist grant wood. Grant wood is an attractive and professional book with a useful balance between text and image. Grant devolson wood february, 1891 february 12, 1942 was an american painter best known for his paintings depicting the rural american midwest, particularly american gothic. This book focuses largely on his most famous work, american gothic, but also recounts his childhood and early art life in europe and discusses other works.
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