Wood - Paperback

by Arthur Cohen (Compiled by), Grant Wood (Author), Victor Bazin (Contribution by)

Discover the carefully crafted and quietly complex art of Grant Wood (1891-1942), the American painter best known for his sharply observed images of Midwestern people, farms, towns, and landscapes. This pocket guide explores Wood's life and career while revealing what to look for in his precise surfaces, simplified forms, rolling patterns, dry humor, and mixture of affection, nostalgia, and social observation. Learn how European art, decorative design, local history, and the culture of rural Iowa shaped the distinctive style associated with American Regionalism. Biographical insights, memorable anecdotes, a personal portrait, and revealing quotations help separate the artist from the myths surrounding his most famous images. A spotlight on one celebrated masterpiece offers a closer examination of its composition, symbolism, and enduring cultural impact. With more than 65 full-color reproductions, this compact guide introduces a uniquely American artist whose familiar scenes remain both accessible and intriguingly ambiguous.

Author Biography

Grant Wood was an American painter best known as a leading figure of Regionalism. Drawing on the people, landscapes, architecture, and visual traditions of the American Midwest, he developed a precise and highly distinctive style that combined observation with stylization and subtle ambiguity. His "American Gothic" became one of the most recognizable images in American art, while his broader work helped shape debates about national identity and modern American culture.