Grant+Wood

[] American Gothic This painting was created in August of 1930. This painting was a Regionalism painting which explained American life as simple and rural. This type of painting developed at the beginning of the Great Depression which was the exact opposite of the urban based realism form that had been common previously. Wood used an actual building to model the one behind the individuals in the painting. He felt like the building showed Midwestern steamboat Gothic architecture. The woman in the painting was modeled after his sister and the man in the painting was a local dentist. The two never posed side by side, wood painted them at separate times. He sent to Chicago to get a pair of overalls and a apron because he felt those were needed in the painting. This painting was almost eliminated when he sent it to Chicago, but he eventually got $300. Viewers either loved or hated it but everyone agreed that it was offensive to the people of Iowa and many were outraged that he would paint the people of Iowa as farmers. Wood wanted this painting to tell a story and he wrote in a letter before he died a possible scenario "Papa runs the local bank or perhaps the lumber yard. He is prominent in the church and possibly preaches occasionally". He also wrote "I do not claim the people painted are farmers. I hate to be misunderstood as I am a loyal Iowan and i love my native state" (Annie) http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/10/books/review/10BASSING.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/sisterwendy/works/ame.html [] Plaid Sweater Plaid Sweater by Grant wood painted in 1931 is a portrait of Mel Blumberg. Wood did not even want to paint Mel, but the boys parents wanted a well known artist to do a portrait of their son and Grant Wood seemed to be their choice. Mel's parents used influential peoples such as the Cedar Rapids Judge and Bourke Hickenlooper who went on to be a senator to convince and corner him into doing their sons portrait. Wood was finally convinced, when Mel's father offered him $750 for the portrait of his son which was a huge amount of money during the depression. Grant Wood's sister Nan also wanted Wood to do the portrait, but did not want him to be wearing his Sunday best for the portrait. They were discussing Mel when he rushed into the room wearing plaid and carrying a football. Mel's parents wanted their son to be in a stiff common portrait pose but Wood disagreed. He wanted to paint Mel exactly as he saw him then without the boy posing. He thought it would show the "All American Boy". He wanted to show the young boy as a healthy and strong symbol of the future. Wood took notes on the boys skin tones, facial features and colors but he never made the boy pose. Wood also uses patterns in this painting in two ways. He uses the pattern of the boys sweater and he contrasted that with the organic feel of the trees to provide compatibility in the painting. (Annie) [] []

[] Daughters of Revolution

Grant Woods painting of Daughters of Revolution was know as a very satiric painting. Satiric means to use humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose or criticize a persons stupidity. This is the only painting that wood admits to using satire, although it is thought by many that a large portion of his painting use this. Daughters of Revolution was a group that Wood found useless and ridiculous and had no problem expressing that thought. Wood thought that these woman who just got together to have tea had absolutely no right to have any claim on issues involving the Revolutionary War. Wood painted the three ladies in a haze which makes them seem gentle at first and creates a softness to the painting. An element that seems to eliminate the softness is the claw like hand that seems to be mockingly saluting the revolution. This was done intentionally by Wood. He also painted the woman without a wedding ring on her finger insinuating that the Daughters if Revolution are unmarried sad woman. The fact that Wood painted this in a haze also in a way makes the women's eyes seem dark and beady, almost animal like. Wood furthered his satiric painting by putting the woman in front of Emmanuel Leutze's Washington Crossing the Delaware. This painting was treated as an American treasure, but the truth is that this painting was created in Germany using the Rhine River as a model for the Delaware. This would be the ultimate insult to the purpose of the Daughters of Revolution. This painting is very interesting in the way Wood hid so many ironic features and points in this very satiric piece. (Annie) [] []