Art Theory

American Gothic (Grant Wood)



Spencer’s Painting of the Week

In continuing our October celebration of all things gothic, we discuss perhaps the most iconic and parodied American painting of the 20th century, Grant Wood’s American Gothic.

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17 thoughts on “American Gothic (Grant Wood)
  1. I think your right in the interpretation of AG. But I want to add a bit more. The father and daughter look a bit tired perhaps from all the work they did. Life was hard back then not like it is today. But they have a sense of pride or humility that says i accomplished a lot of work for the day. The daughter looks distracted though as to say my life is flying by. Is this all i have for myself. O i long for a man and not my father to really love me and cherish me. I'm not getting any younger and i even would want to have at least one child of my own . It almost looks like she is daydreaming about a better life. I do that at times. Who knows. But this painting is a world wide classic painting. I'm from iowa and somewhat partial..lol. and iowa isnt just country life, there is culture and art. Cedar Rapids is a very beautiful art museum. It's a great place to visit.

  2. Given your final "analysis" of this painting, I hope you don't get many viewers.  What is wrong with you that you can't recognize the expression of hopeless subjugation on the daughter's face?  The confident, bullying, dour fanaticism on the father's face?  The inverted roles that their clothing plays: He has adopted a refined veneer over his work clothes; she has hidden her basic refinement under her (left-over curtain material) work clothes.  And we haven't even touched on the symbolism of the pitchfork, the gentle curves of trees broken by the phallic up-thrusts of roof-lines…Wood's message was NOT one particularly congratulatory of American puritanical values.

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