Vandalized N17

American Gothic 1930

Grant Wood

One of the most iconic paintings of American art, American Gothic features a farmer and his daughter, symbolizing rural American values during the Great Depression. The painting’s distinctive composition, with the stern-faced man holding a pitchfork beside his daughter in front of a gothic-style farmhouse, has made it a subject of various interpretations and parodies. Grant Wood’s attention to detail and the precisely rendered figures contribute to its status as a powerful portrayal of the strength and resilience of rural America.