American Gothic
TITLE: “American Gothic”
ARTIST: Grant Wood
DATE: 1930
WHY WE CHOSE IT: American painter Grant Wood (Feb. 13, 1891 – Feb. 12, 1942) was born 121 years ago today. His most iconic painting, “American Gothic,” was so-called because of the architectural style of the house behind the central figures — a farmer and his spinster daughter modeled after the artist’s own dentist and younger sister, Nan.
The painting was entered into a competition at The Art Institute of Chicago, where Wood was awarded the bronze medal, a $300 cash prize and the museum acquired the work for their permanent collection. Critics initially assumed the image was meant to be a satire of repression and the narrow-mindedness of rural small-town life, however the work eventually came to be seen as a depiction of the steadfast American Midwestern pioneer spirit.
SOURCE: The Art Institute of Chicago
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