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Wyatt B.
5 years ago
Ouch
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These old fogies again? Like it or not, the grumpy grouches in American Gothic have become synonymous with traditional American values.
And have become the topic of countless parodies, because Americans actually have a lot of fun. We swear!
But who are these mysterious simpletons that have captivated countless audiences and made Wood’s painting one of the most important pieces in American art history? Well, it all started with a little house in Eldon, Iowa, known as both the American Gothic House and the Dibble house. (In my mind) Wood was sauntering down the road daydreaming with not a care in the world. It's Iowa, what else is there to do there, right? When he stumbled upon this quaint little house on the prairie he exclaimed, “What kind of person would live in that adorable thing!” He just had to know. The rest was history.
Completely awestruck by the house, Wood recruited his sister and his dentist to pose for his masterpiece. The painting depicts an elderly farmer with his old maid of a daughter. No doubt the disgrace of a traditional family, this cougar doesn’t look too happy about her life predicament either. This painting is also said to represent 19th century American gender roles. You know, that time not so long ago when women had virtually no rights and men pretty much ran everything. Patriarchy at its best!
This piece was first exhibited at a painting competition at the Art Institute of Chicago, where it came in third place and earned Wood a whopping $300 prize. While $300 doesn’t sound like much for this essentially priceless painting, it was a pretty substantial amount considering we were on the brink of the Great Depression. During these turbulent times, the painting became an important image to the struggling American people. It quickly became an icon of the American pioneer spirit and the true hardworking values of our lovely country. ‘Murica!
Unfortunately for residents, this painting continues to be the only interesting thing about Eldon, Iowa. So interesting in fact, that art history nerds like us at Sartle have been known to journey to this house, dress up in colonial clothing, and take selfies in front of it. Probably fed up with weirdos trespassing on his property, the owner decided to donate his residence to the State Historical Society of Iowa. Since then, each June, the city of Eldon holds its Gothic Days festival. This is a celebration of both the painting and the rustic life of this folksy town. So if you for some reason find yourself in this neck of the woods around then, this festival could be a great chance to get back to your roots and enjoy the inspiration for American Gothic. I mean, what else are you going to do in Iowa?
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Here is what Wikipedia says about American Gothic
American Gothic is a 1930 painting by Grant Wood in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. A character study of a man and a woman portrayed in front of a home, American Gothic is one of the most famous American paintings of the 20th century, and has been widely parodied in American popular culture.
Wood was inspired to paint what is now known as the American Gothic House in Eldon, Iowa, along with "the kind of people [he] fancied should live in that house". It depicts a farmer standing beside his daughter – often mistakenly assumed to be his wife.
The figures were modeled by Wood's sister Nan Wood Graham and their dentist Dr. Byron McKeeby. The woman is dressed in a colonial print apron evoking 20th-century rural Americana while the man is adorned in overalls covered by a suit jacket and carries a pitchfork. The plants on the porch of the house are mother-in-law's tongue and beefsteak begonia, which also appear in Wood's 1929 portrait of his mother, Woman with Plants.
From 2016 to 2017, the painting was displayed in Paris at the Musée de l'Orangerie and in London at the Royal Academy of Arts, in its first showings outside the United States.
Check out the full Wikipedia article about American Gothic
I like the colors that Grant Wood used to create this iconic painting. They are very natural and realistic looking. The sky is not too blue, the house is not too white, their clothes are not too bright. To me, the colors convey an almost griminess. Everything looks like it could have a layer of dust on it. This really helps the painting fit into its time and place: during the 18th century on a farm in Iowa. I personally like the American Gothic painting because I am from Iowa, and like the commentator of this work said many times, what else is there to be proud of in Iowa? I also like the texture used in the painting; the subjects' faces look very much alive--full of years of toil and hardship. Finally, I like the composition used in this painting. The two main subjects are large, in the front, and splitting the space. The house in the background does not take away from them, but it offers a certain balance to the painting.