These simple things have made the picture so popular that it has appeared in almost all kind of media in modern times. American gothic is a painting by american artist grant wood in 1930. Analysis of american gothic painted by grant wood essay sample. Come to eldon, iowa and view the exterior of the house that inspired grant wood to paint american gothic, one of the most recognized paintings in the world. Mar 16, 2012 no american artwork has been parodied more than american gothic. From the simpsons to the rocky horror picture show and from the every magazine such as time to big movies, the. Jack pollock painting was created during the year of 1950. The models on the painting were woods sister, nan, wearing a colonial print apron mimicking 19th century americana, and woods dentist, dr.
American gothic was the first painting by grant to receive attention outside of iowa. Jul 12, 2005 the story behind grant woods american gothic the painting is a touchstone of american culture, depicting an upright midwestern family on the farm. 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. 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. 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. The hard, cold realism of this painting and the honest, direct, earthy quality of its subject were unusual in american art. Recognize the significance of the american gothic house 4.
Read more read less explore our editors picks for the best kids books of the month. 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. Grant wood was an american painter who is best known for the iconic work american gothic. When looking at the painting you can see two persons that obviously appear as how two persons would have looked like in the 1930s. Regarding american gothic, what makes the painting balanced.
Woods american gothic 1930 is perhaps the most highly recognizable, reproduced, and referenced work of 20th century american art, and a seminal work of realist painting. Try searching on jstor for other items related to this book. Grant wood s 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. Find art you love and shop highquality art prints, photographs, framed artworks and posters at. John stones ekphrastic poem entitled, american gothic, lends insight to the iconic american gothic painting by grant wood. Groundbreaking study of the american gothic artist that sheds new light on the role that. The largest collection of essays in the field of american gothic. The farm couple was actually grants sister and his dentist. Regionalism was a movement in a 1930s america that was a reaction and resistance to europeans. Grant wood was an american painter who is best known for his work depicting the midwest. You can see the original american gothic at the art institute of chicago. American gothic is an image that epitomizes the puritan ethic and virtues that he believed dignified the midwestern character.
The colombian photographer didnt suspect that a photograph in his series mexicanamerican gothic would go viral. It is probably the most reproduced and parodied works of art, and has become a staple within american popculture. It would have been done in thin layers built up from dark to light with thousands of tiny brush marks much in the manner of a tempera painting. American gothic was the result of a movement known as regionalism. Zombies, dogs, beavis and butthead, the muppets, lego figures, and even nicole richie and paris hilton have taken a turn with the pitchfork.
As a result, the painting stands amongst the likes of mona lisa and other highly famous paintings today. None of grants other works were ever as successful. In 1930, he exhibited his most famous painting, american gothic. The composition of grant woods american gothic is almost as close to being symmetrically balanced as a picture can be without actually being symmetrical. A companion to american gothic features a collection of original essays that explore americas gothic literary tradition the largest collection of essays in the field of american gothic. Wood was born in rural iowa, 4 mi 6 km east of anamosa, in 1891. The technique is very traditional oil on beaverboard a composite wood panel. Few paintings are as iconic as grant woods american gothic. I recently finished the nonfiction book the devil in the white city, which is about the columbian exposition of 1893 set against the doings of serial killer h. American gothic depicts a farmer and his spinster daughter posing before their house, whose gabled window and tracery, in. Two simple american faces, one staring at us and another staring away blankly. What painting techniques are used in the painting american. Grant woods 18911942 american gothic 1930 is indisputably a prime. The two paintings that took the nation for a quick surprise are american gothic by.
Grant woods american gothic is one of the most famous paintings in the history of american art. The figures were modeled by woods sister nan wood graham and their dentist dr. The compositional severity and detailed technique derive from northern renaissance paintings. American gothic house from the painting by grant wood youtube. This all changed when american gothic was shown at a chicago art exhibition in 1930. Grant woods american gothic essay 1408 words bartleby. Groundbreaking study of the american gothic artist that sheds new light on the role that his sexuality and his oedipal guilt played in his work and persona. Grant wood adopted the precise realism of 15thcentury northern european artists, but his native iowa provided the artist with his subject matter. They pose in front of an 1880s woodframe house which still exists as a tourist attraction in the iowa town of eldon built in the american gothic or carpenters gothic style. But the painting itself is no joke american gothic is as recognizable as the mona lisa and the scream.
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. American gothic depicts a farmer and his spinster daughter posing before their house, whose gabled window and tracery, in the american gothic style, inspired the paintings title. 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. 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. 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. November 2010 american gothic one of americas best known paintings, american gothic, was painted by grant wood, a painter best known for the traditional paintings of his homestate, iowa.
The mans hay fork and overalls, for instance, represent manual labour, while. Grant woods paintings are mostly associated with the american movement of regionalism. The painting brought wood almost instant fame after being exhibited for the first time at the art institute of chicago in 1930. Grant wood painted many paintings depicting his life in iowa. An analysis of the picture painted by grant wood american gothic was painted by grant wood in 1930. Feb 05, 2017 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. See more ideas about american gothic, grant wood and american gothic parody. American regionalism movement overview theartstory.
Grant devolson wood february, 1891 february 12, 1942 was an american painter best known for his paintings depicting the rural american midwest, particularly. A companion to american gothic features a collection of original essays that explore americas gothic literary tradition. Analysis of american gothic painted by grant wood essay. 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.
It would have been done in thin layers built up from dark to light with thousand. American gothic was the painting that got grant wood recognized as a respectable artist, because he was all but ignored before this work. This painting was established as one of the most magnificent painting to ever sweep history. This lively biography follows grant wood as he develops from a shy farm boy into a celebrated artist. Grant woods unique ruralrenaissance style paintings inspired an entire new art movement. American gothic is a 1930 painting by grant wood in the collection of the art institute of chicago. This painting was done in 1930 and shows a farmer and his daughter in front of a small farmhouse. This is the first published biography of this american artist specifically geared to young readers. The pointed arches used in gothic architecture held up the huge weight of these stone buildings. The renowned painting american gothic is famous around the world, but what do we know about the artist. The students studied and researched grant woods painting entitled american gothic. Holmes, and, at the time, i thought that was the end of it.
The student will understand and appreciate the significance of the american gothic house, grant wood and regionalism painting. The story behind grant woods american gothic the painting is a touchstone of american culture, depicting an upright midwestern family on the farm. Yet wood intended it to be a positive statement about rural american values, an image of reassurance at a time of great dislocation and. His most famous piece being american gothic, featuring a farm couple in front of their home that has a gothic style window at the epicenter. It depicts a farmer standing beside his daughter often mistakenly assumed to be his wife. The meaning of the portrait, which features two solemnfaced individuals, is something that has been debated since its creation. This instantly recognizable painting depicts a dour and aloof couple, the man, his right hand gripping an upright pitchfork, gazes directly at the viewer, while a woman stands beside him, gazing out of the frame.
His mother moved the family to cedar rapids, after his. But to many fans of the pictureand its many parodiesthe rest. Shown is a farmer and his spinster daughter in front of their house. American gothic, often understood as a satirical comment on the midwestern character, quickly became one of americas most famous paintings and is now firmly entrenched in the nations popular culture.
The painting is named after the window with the pointed arch. A companion to american gothic wiley online library. Look at his paintings pictured in any book or magazine about him. 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. The bulletshaped window in the background is where the name of the painting came from. Critique of the american gothic by grant wood critiqued by shubhodeep mukherji, christopher yoder, tenee lopez, stephen severino, and christian garcia grant wood was an american painter with european training. The life of grant wood and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. The pieces staging is so embedded into american culture that even its countless parodies and homages are instantly recognizable. American gothic and other fables reveals a complex, sophisticated artist whose image as a farmerpainter was as mythical as the fables he depicted in his art.
I grew up seeing this painting, and knew a bit about wood s iowan farmers roots and his traveling to europe to explore different art styles. Dec 23, 2017 it is not clear if you mean technique or style. Almost everyone knows grant woods american gothic, the hypnotic painting of a pitchforktoting farmer and his daughter. The work ostensibly portrays a farmer and his daughtermodelled.
May 18, 2002 they pose in front of an 1880s woodframe house which still exists as a tourist attraction in the iowa town of eldon built in the american gothic or carpenters gothic style. Grant wood, american gothic, 1930, oil on beaver board, 78 x 65. Up to 1930, grants work was wellknown within his community and had received awards at iowa state fairs, but few people outside of iowa knew of his art. Gothic architecture developed in europe back when kings and queens ruled the world. I thought that they were just going to be hung in my bosss office, he. Wood made certain atmosphere the bases of his painting and through his unique style of painting impressed everyone who liked good artwork. How american gothic became an icon is grant woods famous painting serious or comic. American gothic house from the painting by grant wood. Tour the adjacent american gothic house center which showcases grant woods life and the history of the house. Art institute of chicago, chicago, illinois date of completion. While this deceptively simple portrait has clearly captured the imagination of the nation. A pitchfork in the mans hand and an american gothic house in the background.
A colored copy of the painting was printed out and cut into 24 equal pieces. If asked to describe this painting, most would recount a woman and a man standing with a pitch fork. During the great depression, the masterpiece gave hope to a desperate nation, and it. Woods straightforward style of representation is restrained, almost flat, creating a taut surface in contrast to the underlying subtle persistence of emotion. Free shipping get free shipping free 58 day shipping within the u. Behind them a farmhouse in the american gothic revival style dominates the view. Grant s most famous painting is titled, american gothic. Understand the style of painting known as regionalism 3. American gothic, grant wood 1930 culture the guardian.
Santiago foreros contribution was a staging of grant woods masterwork, american gothic, which he shot with a latino couple shown above. If it is by grant wood its an important discovery, since paintings in woods mature style are as rare as vermeers. American gothic is a painting created by grant wood in 1930. American gothic is a painting by grant wood in the collection of the art institute of chicago. American gothic critique of the american gothic by. The composition of grant wood s american gothic is almost as close to being symmetrically balanced as a picture can be without actually being symmetrical. This is the house seen in the painting by grant wood called american gothic. Kindle ebooks can be read on any device with the free kindle app.
Grants art celebrated hardworking americans who finally saw themselves depicted in fine art. No american artwork has been parodied more than american gothic. Steven zucker grant wood, american gothic, 1930, oil on beaver board, 78 x 65. But i was looking for a book to read yesterday and my hand went to american gothic. In grant wood attention, but in 1930 his american gothic caused a sensation when it was exhibited at the art institute of chicago. Contributions from a wide variety of scholars from around the world.
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