American Gothic

About American Gothic

Grant Wood painted American Gothic in 1930. Two solemn figures stand before a house with a pointed Gothic window, making architecture an essential part of the portrait. The pitchfork, striped clothing and repeated vertical forms hold the image together. This public-domain reproduction shows the painting in the Art Institute of Chicago's collection; it is a work of American Regionalism.

Look closely

Trace the pitchfork's three prongs and look for similar shapes in the man's overalls and the house. How do the figures' expressions affect your reading of the scene?

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This file is 3,840 × 4,634 pixels. At 300 pixels per inch, that is approximately 12.8 × 15.4 inches before cropping. Canvas wraps and different aspect ratios can remove part of the picture; preview the full composition before ordering.

Image source and reuse

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