Grant Wood (1891-1942) was an American artist based in Anamosa, Iowa who extensively covered his familiar surroundings and everyday life of his native state in the paintings. He was one of the members of the Regionalist Group of painters.

“Parson Weems’ Fable”, oil on canvas, 38 1/8 inches x 50 1/8 inches, created hullabaloo when it was unveiled in 1939 as the largest figure in the canvas is the disgraced myth-maker who is pulling back the curtain to show the legendary George Washington’s cherry tree story in which young George chopped down the tree and the elder Washington is facing not only an unabashed son but to make things more complicated he has the head of Gilbert Stuart’s dollar-bill Washington perched on his body. It is displayed at the Amon Carter Museum, Fort Worth, Texas.— M.I.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, October 4th, 2015

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