Grant Wood
It’s American Regionalist artist Grant Wood’s birthday today. As I have already celebrated this artist’s birthday (see this post) and wrote about him at some length, I thought it might be interesting to look at more of the artist’s most famous work – American Gothic. Grant Wood was born on this day in Anamosa Iowa USA (1891 – 1942) and is famous for painting the American Midwest, along with fellow Regionalist artists Thomas Hart Benton (see this post) and John Steuart Currie.
American Gothic by Grant Wood 1930
Though known as a painter, Wood also worked in ceramics, wood and metal as well as producing lithographs, ink and charcoal drawings. The Regionalism movement opposed European abstraction and promoted figurative painting in rural American , primarily the Midwest. Associated American Artists marketed Woods work for many years and he encouraged John Steuart Currie and Thomas Hart Benton (see my post about this artist) to return to the Midwest in the 1930, finding teaching positions for them.
American Gothic (1930) is a national icon, it gave Wood recognition. The painting has been interpreted as a satire against small town American ruralist, though Wood always rejected this interpretation. He said that the painting, painted during the Depression, depicted the pioneer spirit. This image has been parodied, distorted, and borrowed from so many times – and here in this video are many different versions of the painting. Some are innovative, some silly, some thought-provoking and some – well just bizarre 🙂 One can only marvel at Grant Wood for inspiring these though!
To celebrate this birthday I am hosting another Bookstains Poetry Challenge – you guessed it …..American Gothic what else! Update; Three poems have arrived for the challege – just click the button to see 🙂
- American Gothic by Grant Wood 1930
More about Grant Wood here and the Grant Wood Gallery here
American Gothic image here Grant Wood photo from here
Thanks to bestjonbon for the video!
