10 Facts about American Gothic

Sunday, January 11th 2015. | Arts


Facts about American Gothic present the details about the famous American painting.  In 1930, Grant Wood made this painting and called it as American Gothic. In the painting, you can see a farmer and his spinster daughter. They were in front of a house. Get more facts about American Gothic below:

Facts about American Gothic 1: the models

Can you tell me the names of the models in American Gothic? There are two models. One of them is Dr. Byron McKeeby from Iowa. He was Wood’s dentist. The lady wearing a colonial print apron which made her look like a 19th century Americana is Wood’s sister, Nan.

Facts about American Gothic 2: the painting process

Wood began to paint the people and the house that he imagined. The house on the painting actually exists.  The American Gothic house is located in Eldon, Iowa.

American Gothic Facts

American Gothic Facts

Facts about American Gothic 3: the models

If you think that the models stand in front of the house, you are wrong. The house and the models were painted separately since they never stood in front of the house.

Facts about American Gothic 4: the measurement of the painting

The measurement of American Gothic is 74.3 cm by 62.4 cm or 29.25 inches by 24.5 inches.

American Gothic House

American Gothic House

Facts about American Gothic 5: the early life of Grant Wood

Grant Wood was born in Iowa on 13 February 1892. His family relocated to Cedar Rapids after the death of his father in 1901.  In the new place of living, Wood worked as an apprentice at a metal shop.

Facts about American Gothic 6: an art school

It seems that Wood was very interested with art. In 1910, he studied at an art school in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Find out another painter in Alfred Wallis facts.

American Gothic Painting

American Gothic Painting

Facts about American Gothic 7: a silversmith

Then Wood worked as a silversmith after he decided to study at Art Institute of Chicago in 1913. Then he taught painting at University of Iowa’s School of Art in 1934 till 1941.

Facts about American Gothic 8: death

Wood died in 1942 at the age of 51 because of liver cancer.

American Gothic

American Gothic

Facts about American Gothic 9: the famous painting of Grant Wood

There are many other famous paintings of Wood. Those are John B. Turner, Pioneer (1929), Woman with Plants (1929) and The Little Chapel Chancelade (1926). Get facts about Alphonse Mucha if you want to know another painter.

Facts about American Gothic 10: the house

The house depicted in his painting is made in Gothic Architecture. It has European origin with an unusual window.

Facts about American Gothic

Facts about American Gothic

Are you interested reading facts about American Gothic?


tags: ,