From humble beginnings sketching Iowa's cornfields and rolling hills as
a child, Grant Wood became the father of regionalism, an artistic
movement that celebrated the simple and real-life surroundings of the
people. When studying art in Europe in the early 20th century, Grant
couldn't find a style that touched his heart quite right. Impressionism,
cubism, and abstract art didn't reflect his view of the world. It wasn't
until he stumbled upon Gothic art that Grant recognized something
familiar.
Back home in America, Grant asked his sister and his dentist to pose for
what would become the founding, iconic image of regionalism and a
uniquely American work of art. Grant's art celebrated hard-working
Americans who finally saw themselves in fine art. American Gothic is a
picture-book biography that explores the birth of the famous painting,
the movement that made it possible, and the artist who created it all.