Early Modern





    This is a work by Grant Wood titled American Gothic 1930.  This is one of the most iconic painting of the early 1900's.  This was painted at the start of the Great Depression and reminds the viewer of the simpler life of the country living.  The colors use in the painting are kind of a dull color making the work seem not as flashy which might make the painting more upbeat.  The use of the dull colors is a reminder of how hard the times were.  The serious look of the to people and the person on the right side with a death grip on the pitchfork make it appear that they are not really enjoying having their picture painted.  The work is in balance with the home a the center maybe as a symbol of the power of the house at the center of a strong farm family.  This is a good example of regional art for all the reasons above and how the farm families in the area can relate to the painting.  This could be why it is so popular still today and made with different characters like my copy with Mickey and Minnie Mouse.  



    This is City Activities with Subway 1930-31 by Thomas Hart Benton.  This is another example of regionalism and how people from the big city can understand what is going on in this work.  The use of bright colors in the work make the viewer excited about city life .  The use of the frames in the middle of the work are used to break-up different activities on the city that were probably common of the time.  Which was at the beginning of the Great Depression.  The work was commissioned by the New School for Social Research (The Art Story).  


  

    This work was on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post in June of 1921.  The title is No Swimming an done by Norman Rockwell.  Rockwell did a lot of works of real people doing real things.  This work was showing the way children of the time would have had trouble listening to people of authority.  The way he used facial expressions of the characters give the viewer a sense of the trouble the kids are in.  The use of pale colors suggest a innocents of the children at play. The subject matter was also used to complete a entire magazine about children of the times (nrm.org).     
 




   

 Works Cited:

“American Regionalism Movement Overview.” The Art Story, https://www.theartstory.org/movement/american-regionalism/.


“The Art of Norman Rockwell - Norman Rockwell Museum - the Home for American Illustration.” Norman Rockwell Museum, 29 Oct. 2019, https://www.nrm.org/collections-2/art-norman-rockwell/.

Comments

  1. AlyssaNovember 8, 2022 at 8:56 PM

    Hi, Rhett! I like your use of American Gothic. I was reading about it, and I think it’s interesting how Wood combined details to create an iconic collage of American spirit. The house is one he saw while traveling. He uses Gothic architecture with a medieval window. The building is reminiscent of a church with the blinds being a detail that separates it from that image. The characters in the painting are in simple clothing, and the man holds a pitchfork. The muted colors and simple idealistic life portrayed feel like a result of the desire for stability and normalcy during The Great Depression. Farming is often an idealized subject matter in art as a return to something simpler. I wrote about one of Hart’s murals as well, and I love the broad range of color he utilizes. He uses a wide palette and approaches a lot of subjects at once, making for a bustling and noisy piece. I definitely see this mural as being more of an idealization of city life. I also examined Rockwell when I was preparing my blog, and I love the exaggerated expressions he uses in his art. Rockwell has so many playful and theatrical pieces.

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  2. Lee CrabtreeNovember 9, 2022 at 5:23 PM

    Rhett,
    American regionalism is one of my favorite art movements. "American Gothic" is probably the most famous example, and it's always interested me to try analyzing it. I agree that it definitely reflects the simple rural lifestyle, but the expressions of the two people are saying something without words. I interpret this as a response to the Great Depression. Also, the title, "American Gothic" is interesting to me. In my personal opinion, I think that it's partially meant to be an ironic title. "Gothic" is used to describe a style, whether of architecture, fashion, literature or artwork, usually of the gloomy or depressive variety. The other meaning it invokes is of the Medieval variety, referring to the time period of widespread rural serfdom. I think in the second meaning, the title is alluding to Depression Era farmers' hardships as comparable to serfs, which is why they don't look too happy.

    Also, Rockwell. I think his works really set up the aesthetic of "the classic American town". He did a lot of advertisements, but his artwork often captured the joy and humor of everyday people, from the young to the old. "No Swimming" captures the mischievousness of childhood. I can imagine a grumpy old neighbor chasing the kids with a newspaper. It's relatable to a lot of people, which is why Rockwell was so beloved by the American public.

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  3. Katie NationsNovember 13, 2022 at 6:55 PM

    Hi Rhett, thank you for your post on regionalism! I haven't seen this theme as often as the great depression, so it is interesting to see some art that relates to it. I especially like City Activities with Subway because it feels so busy. The chaotic nature of the painting and the bold colors make it feel loud. This resembles city life because the city is loud and chaotic. I don't really like the American Gothic painting very much. The people in the painting have such long faces and the art as a whole is fairly dull. It does make sense and the colors match the theme, but it isn't appealing. 

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