DAUGHTERS OF REVOLUTION and AMERICAN GOTHIC by Grant Wood (1892 - 1942)  

Introduce DAUGHTERS OF REVOLUTION

1.    Who is in this painting? Why are two women on one side and the other on the right side with space in between? Why do you suppose one woman is holding a teacup?  How would you describe the way these women look?  Are these words you would use to describe someone you like?

2.    What is the most important element of this painting, the women or the painting between them? Why do you think so?  (The light skin of the women contrasts with the dark background emphasizing the women and making them the most important element in the painting).

3.    What does the porcelain cup feel like?  The women's faces?  The flowered dress?  The lace on the dress?  The painting of Washington?  What colors did the artist use?  How does this painting make you feel?

Grant Wood painted this picture of three women for a special reason. He carefully composed the painting with two women one side, the other woman on the right side with space between to show part of another painting in the background. It is a famous painting about George Washington crossing the icy Delaware River at night to surprise the enemy. This painting shows Washington ’s bravery, courage and heroic action. In contrast the women look very quiet and the only action is holding up the teacup.

Wood was making fun of these ladies because he thought that they were too proud of their relatives, who had fought in the American Revolution 200 years before. They belonged to an organization known as the Daughter’s of the American Revolution.

The expressions on their faces give us an idea about what these women might be like. A clue is in the way one woman holds up a highly valued porcelain teacup which might have come to America with her ancestors.  

The members of the DAR in his hometown had criticized him because he had not hired Americans to Work on a previous art project. This made Wood angry and he decided to show how he felt about this organization. And that was why he painted this picture.

Introduce AMERICAN GOTHIC

1.    Who are the people in this painting?  Where are they?  What are they wearing?  Why is the man holding a pitchfork?

2.    This picture was painted because Grant Wood wanted to show how any person in any small town in the Midwest might look.  Their expressions show the hard work they have done to make their living.  Grand had a talent for taking everyday things and turning them into a symbol of the way people in the Midwest looked and felt in the 30’s. 

3.    What is in the background? (farmhouse)  What does it represent?  (family values, the American dream)  What do you think the pitchfork is a symbol of?  (hard work)  We use many symbols in our lives.  Can anyone think of any symbols we use?  What symbols do we use at Christmastime?  What do angels represent?   

When you look at the painting, if you see and old fame couple, you are NOT seeing what Grant Wood wanted you to see.  According to this artist, he was trying to show a farmer and his daughter.  The title refers to the style of architecture seen in the house behind them, most notably the fancy upstairs window.  Perhaps that window reminded the artist of a pitchfork.  The pitchfork is what most people remember about the painting, ever if they don't notice that is mirrored in the farmer's overalls and in his face.  

About the Artist

Grant Wood was one of the important Midwestern painters of American culture, people and landscape in the 1930's. Painters who painted Midwestern scenes at that time were called Regionalists.  Wood was also a classroom teacher and later a university professor of art.  He studied art in Europe but returned to America to teach his students the importance of painting what was around them and not to copy the subjects or styles of the European artists. 

Activity

Students will participate in being a subject of “American Gothic” and have their picture taken imitating the original painting.  Background can be found in the top shelf of the Art Awareness cabinet.  Please be careful with background.  Use Polaroid or your own digital camera.  Take or get doubles of the pictures.  

and / or

Scan school photos of each student and print photos.  Scan American Gothic and distribute a copy to each student.  Have student paste their own face on the copy.  (girls pasted their face where the female "Gothic" face would be, males pasted their face where the male "Gothic" would be.  Students then complete the picture by drawing, cutting out and pasting an item (to personalize the picture) in place of the pitch fork.  

and / or

Craft Idea #1

Make angels with doilies, styrofoam ball and chenille sticks as halos.

Craft Idea #2

Have students make Christmas wrapping paper out of paper bags and decorate with stencils and patterns of Christmas symbols.  

Craft Idea #3

Have cutouts of head done ahead of time.  Stencils found in Art Awareness closet.  Children use scraps or markers to decorate their heads of Daughters…..