This Old Gothic House

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American Gothic: Painting, Artist & Meaning

Grant Wood
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Rural Beginnings

Grant Wood was born in Iowa on February 13, 1891. His spent his childhood on a farm until his father died when he was ten. His mother then moved him and his sister to the more urban Cedar Rapids. Farm life and the Midwestern traditions of his childhood reappeared in Wood's later works. Wood's interest in art developed early. In high school, Wood was involved with the drama department designing sets for the school plays and creating illustrations for school publications. After graduating high school in 1910, Wood went to the Minneapolis School of Design and Handicraft. Here he learned many other skills that would benefit him throughout his career. These included metalworking, jewelry, and furniture making. He moved to Chicago in 1913 and opened his own shop. He would stay there until his mother's illness brought him back to Iowa in 1916.

Travels Bring Inspiration
Upon his return to Iowa, Wood taught school to support his mother and sister. He was also able to continue work on his art. After a few years, he was able to travel to Europe, enrolling in the Académie Julian and exhibiting his work in Paris. While there Wood viewed the work of the Impressionists, whose themes influenced his work. What really affected him, though, was a 1928 trip to Germany. There he viewed 15th and 16th century Flemish and German artwork, especially the works of Jan van Eyck. He chose to emulate their styles in his works.

Regionalism Rises
During this time, a new art movement was emerging in America, mainly in the Midwest. This new form of art was referred to as Regionalism, and Wood was one of its main leaders. Regionalism rose to prominence during the 1930s. It was a very American movement, as works produced during this time focused on depicting scenes of home and farm life. Regionalism artists rejected the modern art movements such as cubism that were coming over from Europe in favor of more rural scenes. It was during this time that Wood began painting his most famous piece, American Gothic.
 
American Gothic: A Curator Answers the Top Five FAQs
1. Is this the original?
This is a great question, especially with the rapid circulation of images in our world today. American Gothic has become so famous as an image that many people don’t realize that it actually was—and still is—a painting. In their minds, it is no longer an object. In some ways, the idea of an original has become degraded in our digital era. And so what I often try to re-instill in people’s minds is that this is an actual painting, a physical object that you can come and see, and that it is only here at the Art Institute, and yes, it is the original.
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The artist's name is seen at bottom right, on coveralls.
 
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