American Gothic (painting)

Tropes and genres
Tropes and genres
Related tropes/genres	Imitation
See also	; ;
	the original Grant Wood painting
	Related articles on Fanlore.
	Contents 1 Mainstream Canon Uses and Parodies; 2 Fannish Uses; 3 Fiction; 4 Sample Fan Art 4.1 1976; 4.2 1985; 4.3 1995; 4.4 2005; 4.5 2017; 4.6 2018; 4.7 2020; 4.8 2023; ; 5 References;

American Gothic is a 1930 painting created by American artist Grant Wood.

The painting depicts a real Carpenter Gothic-style house (along with a Gothic window) in Eldon, Iowa, along with "the kind of people" that Wood "fancied should live in that house."^[1]

The imaginary father-and-daughter duo (often erroneously assumed to be husband and wife) are depicted standing in front of the house. The father, wearing denim coveralls and a black coat, holds a pitchfork while looking toward the viewer, while his somber-faced daughter, clad in a brown dress and black blouse, casts a sidelong glance at him.

Some people felt the painting portrayed the two people as grim and unimaginitive, and that it was an unkind vision of Midwest American and rural values. Others felt it to be more a symbol of hard work and a no-nonsense worldview.

Mainstream Canon Uses and Parodies

The title of the painting was used for a 1995-96 television series American Gothic created by Shaun Cassidy.

Due to its iconic notoriety, it is frequently parodied in mainstream television shows, movies, and films such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Green Acres, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Pee-Wee's Playhouse, The Simpsons, King of the Hill, and SpongeBob SquarePants.

Fannish Uses

The painting is a popular topic for fan artists to utilize by altering the original painting by adding other characters in place of the Wood's two subjects. This fannish activity is an art meme or Fanart Pastiche.

Part of the fun may be because of the irony of slotting two other very other-worldly characters in place of the two original people, a variation on "wherever you go, there you are."