American Gothic (for Tennesseecowgirl) by sandra46

Photography • Atmosphere/Mood • posted on May 11, 2009

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Description

I found this cowshed in up New York State, between the Adirondacks and the North Country proper. At first I couldn't believe it was real, but it is. Swear. For those who want to know something about the painting on the wall, I made some notes, and added my opinion. Those who want to see the original painting, have only to google American Gothic. American Gothic by Grant Wood caused a stir in 1930 when it was exhibited for the first time at The Art Institute of Chicago and awarded a prize of 300 dollars. Newspapers across the country carried the story, and the painting of a farm couple posed before a white house brought the artist instant fame. Wood, a Iowa native, was enchanted by a cottage he had seen in the small southern Iowa town of Eldon. Its Gothic Revival style, indicated by the upper window designed to resemble a medieval pointed arch, inspired the paintingÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½s title. He asked his dentist and his sister Nan to pose as a farmer and his unmarried daughter. The woman is dressed in a colonial print apron mimicking 19th century Americana and the couple are in the traditional roles of men and women, the man's pitchfork symbolizing hard labor. The highly detailed style and rigid frontal arrangement of the figures were inspired by Northern Renaissance art, which the artist studied during three trips to Europe. American Gothic remains one of the most famous paintings in the history of American art. It is a primary example of Regionalism, a movement that aggressively opposed European abstract art, preferring depictions of rural American subjects rendered in a representational style. The painting has become part of American popular culture, and the couple has been the subject of endless parodies. Some believe that Wood used this painting to satirize the narrow-mindedness and repression that has been said to characterize Midwestern culture, an accusation he denied. The painting may also be read as a glorification of the moral virtue of rural America or even as an ambiguous mixture of praise and satire. It is one of the most familiar images in 20th century American, but the painting and its connotations are little-known outside the American cultural world. In my modest opinion, its popularity and appeal lie in the ambiguous representation (whether Wood wanted it or not is immaterial) of the so-called farmers, and its blending of aristocratic European art and American popular art only adds to its ambiguity. Thank you for your kind comments.

Comments (30)

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Mousson

9:32AM | Mon, 11 May 2009

WOWWW Splendid and creative !!!

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Amosicho

9:38AM | Mon, 11 May 2009

Fantastic!!!

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carlx

9:44AM | Mon, 11 May 2009

Superb view!!!

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dusty357

9:59AM | Mon, 11 May 2009

great addition to the gallery!

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Fidelity2

10:16AM | Mon, 11 May 2009

Very well done. 5+.

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tennesseecowgirl

10:20AM | Mon, 11 May 2009

OH my I was just getting ready to sign out when I saw this...... HOW COOL and a big thank you for thinking of me.. When I was out driving with my son last weekend to North Carolina I had to keep stopping from pulling off the interstate at all the pretty barns and landscape we saw, he kept laughing at me and said Mom we ain't stopping. Well I am off to tackle my yard after two weeks of rain wish me luck and thank you!

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bmac62

10:41AM | Mon, 11 May 2009

Another jewel. I am very familiar with the painting and agree,...you can assign any interpretation to it you want and that makes it special. Your photo is quite a find. Those are two real cows enjoying the painting up close...funny.

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