Grant Wood

Date of Birth: February 13, 1891

Zodiac Sign: Aquarius

Date of Death: February 12, 1942

Biography

Grant DeVolson Wood was an American painter best known for his works depicting the rural American Midwest, especially his iconic painting “American Gothic” (1930). Born on February 13, 1891, in Anamosa, Iowa, Wood exhibited an early interest in art, which was nurtured by his mother after his father’s death in 1901. He pursued formal art education at the Art Institute of Chicago and later in Europe, where he was influenced by the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists. Returning to the United States, Wood sought to develop a distinctly American style, diverging from European trends. His work often highlighted the simplicity and resilience of rural life, and he became a leading figure in the Regionalism art movement. Wood’s career was marked by both acclaim and controversy, with “American Gothic” becoming one of the most parodied and recognized paintings in American art history. He continued to create and teach art until his death on February 12, 1942, in Iowa City, Iowa.

5 Interesting Facts about Grant Wood

1. Grant Wood’s “American Gothic” was first exhibited at the Art Institute of Chicago, where it won a bronze medal and a cash prize of $300.

2. The models for “American Gothic” were Wood’s sister, Nan Wood Graham, and his dentist, Dr. Byron McKeeby.

3. Wood was a co-founder of the Stone City Art Colony near Cedar Rapids, Iowa, which aimed to foster Midwestern art and artists.

4. He designed the stained glass window for the Veterans Memorial Building in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a project that took him over a decade to complete.

5. Despite his Midwestern focus, Wood was significantly influenced by his travels in Europe, particularly by the works of Jan van Eyck and other Northern Renaissance painters.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Grant Wood

1. “All the really good ideas I ever had came to me while I was milking a cow.”

2. “I had to go to France to appreciate Iowa.”

3. “Technique does not constitute art. Nor is it a vague, fuzzy romantic quality known as ‘beauty,’ remote from the realities of everyday life.”

4. “The only thing that’s really like America is America.”

5. “Art is the concrete representation of our most subtle feelings.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Grant Wood’s highest net worth is not explicitly documented, but his most famous painting, “American Gothic,” has an estimated value of over $60 million today.