American Gothic

Grant Wood's famous depiction of a simple American life.

By Grant Wood 1930

“American Gothic” may be one of the most famous painting in American history. Most people assume his painting was created to depict a prim elderly couple who lived a simplistic life in a wealthy home yet seemed unamused, however, in reality his painting was much different than that. In reality the two people in the painting were not romantically involved in any way and actually were actually complete strangers. Another important fact about this painting is it actually did not depict a farmer,the pitch fork being held was not one a farmer would actually use and other artists think that the use of the fork might've been for humor. Therefore, this painting may not even have a meaning at all, and instead shows how American were feeling after the Great Depression. They were feeling confused about what to do next and therefore Grant Wood’s painting depicted that confusion in his painting.

How did American Gothic become so popular???

More on the mysterious famous painting

Articles:

How American Gothic became an icon

Beyond 'American Gothic'

The Background of 'American Gothic'

Books:

American Gothic: A Life of America's Most Famous Painting

American Gothic: The Life of Grant Wood

American Gothic: The Biography of Grant Wood's American Masterpiece