The Tiny Iowa Town That’s Responsible For a Timeless Work of Art

It's a quiet Iowa farm town that most of the state's residents might not even be able to locate on a map. But it's also responsible for one of the most iconic (and parodied) works of art in the last century.

Deep in the heart of Hawkeye country lies the small town of Eldon. With a population of just 783i residents, you'd be forgiven if you hadn't heard of it. However, because of one, spur of the moment decision, Eldon became the backdrop for the legendary painting, American Gothic by Grant Wood.

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One of the Most Famous Paintings of the 20th Century Was Set in Iowa

American Gothic is unquestionably one of the most famous paintings in the past 100 years, but the story behind it is quiet fascinating, especially if you're an Iowan.

In 1930, Iowa born regionalist artist Grant Wood was driving around Eldon with another artist, his friend, John Sharp. The nation was within the height of the Great Depression and Wood, while prominent within the regionalist art community, had yet to break through on a national level in a big way.

Wood gestured for Sharp to stop the car, as a certain house had caught his eye. It was a unique looking home, with a distinctive upper window, making it stand-out. Wood immediately saw something in the house, something most of us wouldn't even notice, potential. He told Sharp the home looked "very paintable".

After obtaining the owner's permission, Wood got to work. He had decided to paint the home, along with the type of people he thought would live in a home like the one he saw in his mind. He wanted stoic, hard-working Iowans. Wood drafted his 30-year-old sister, Nan as the female model. For the man of the house, Wood went outside the box and asked his family dentist, Dr. Byron McKeeby for the role.

Not long after, Wood entered the painting in a major competition held at the Art Institute of Chicago, calling it An Iowa Farmer and His Wife. Oddly enough, the painting did not win the top prize, as the judges weren't super impressed with it. One of the patrons of the museum was though and persuaded them to award the painting with the Bronze, earning Wood a $300 prize.

Soon after, newspapers like the Cedar Rapids Gazette, Kansas City Star Tribune, and Chicago Evening Post all ran images of the painting and their readers responded with immediate enthusiasm. Modernist writer, Gertrude Stein praised the work, calling Wood the "foremost American painter".

The painting was not without controversy though, as many Midwesterners thought the painting was mocking their very way of life. Wood even received death threats because of the painting, but eventually this died down. What didn't was the love for the painting. It's legacy has ensured that American Gothic will forever be one of the most iconic paintings in American history.

To learn more about Eldon, Iowa and Grant Wood's life and works, check out the YouTube videos in the links below.