American Gothic is a 1930 painting by the painter Grant DeVolson Wood held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago .
Grant Wood was inspired to paint what is now known as the American Gothic House in Eldon by picturing the kind of people he imagined living there. In the 78 cm × 65.3 cm canvas, he chose to depict a farmer standing next to his daughter, often mistakenly thought of as his wife.
The painting takes its name from the architectural style of the house . The figures were modeled by Wood’s sister, Nan Wood Graham , and their dentist, Dr. Byron McKeeby.
When looking at the painting, it’s important to realize the extent to which Wood designed and conceptualized American Gothic. Indeed, at first glance, many people mistake American Gothic for a realistic painting.
Looking at the painting, it’s clear that Wood rendered a realistic version of the house. Likewise, Wood’s two models, his sister Nan Wood Graham and his dentist, Dr. B.H. McKeeby, are realistically recreated, although when looking at a photograph of Nan, you can see her sister’s face is somewhat elongated.
Wood’s free use of reality can also be seen in the addition of a barn and the creation of a scene, a man and woman posing in front of the house, which never actually occurred. The models for the artwork never posed together when they were drawn before or during the painting of American Gothic.









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