American Gothic Painting Grant Wood Meaning

The meaning of the portrait which features two solemn faced individuals is something that has been debated since its creation.

American gothic painting grant wood meaning.

The story behind the painting is the subject of thomas hoving s book. However the american gothic sparked a backlash in the artist s hometown of cedar rapids iowa as locals were displeased about being portrayed as pinched grim faced puritanical bible thumpers. Wood submitted american gothic the name a nod to the house s architectural style to a 1930 competition at the art institute of chicago. He was inspired to paint what is now known as the american gothic house in eldon iowa along with the kind of people fancied should live in that house.

Grant wood 1891 1942 is one of the best known and most revered american artists of the 20th century. It depicts a farmer standing beside his daughter often mistakenly assumed to be his wife. Some critics derided his regionalist art as influenced by pernicious political theories. Overnight the painting became a hit.

American gothic is a 1930 painting by grant wood in the collection of the art institute of chicago. The painting is named for the house s architectural style. Others saw hints of sly camp humor impacted by wood s closeted homosexuality. Artist grant wood might have thought his satire of small town midwestern america was funny and right on target but many art critics initially found his painting american gothic to be mean spirited and insulting toward the simple a low blow toward the hardworking men and women of the midwest living through the tough economic times during the great depression.

His american gothic painting is iconic. The grant wood painting american gothic is a touchstone of american culture depicting an upright midwestern family on the farm. Among the most influential 20th century painters of the american midwest grant wood is famous for his unique contribution to regionalism c 1925 45 the american reaction to the country s dependence on european modern art which flourished during the interwar period. American gothic is a painting created by grant wood in 1930.

American gothic won a. Although wood had intended for some time to do a portrait of midwestern types it is known that the house in eldon iowa inspired the painting wood called american gothic because only the house is shown in surviving preliminary sketches for the painting. Wood insisted that as a loyal iowan he did not mean to paint a caricature only show his appreciation.