Grant Wood 1892-1942

WOOD, MAXON, GRAHAM

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 7/9/2020 at 06:43:40

19 February 1942 - The Anamosa Journal

Grant Wood, Jones county's most famous native son, was buried Saturday afternoon in Riverside cemetery, next to his mother's grave.

Wood, whose brilliant career as a painter was ended prematurely by his death at the University hospital at Iowa City at 10 p.m. last Thursday, entered the hospital for a checkup on Nov. 29, and underwent a major operation on Dec. 12. Cause of his death was cancer of the liver. He would have been 50 if he had lived until Friday.

Dr. M. Willard Lampe, director of the University of Iowa school of religion, was in charge of the funeral service Saturday afternoon at the Turner Funeral home in Cedar Rapids.

The nationally known painter, whose vigorous paintings of the rolling hills of northeastern Iowa, of Iowa farmers and of other midwestern characters raised a storm of controversy and received the acclaim of art critics, was born Feb. 13, 1892, on a farm near Anamosa.

Although he and his mother moved to Cedar Rapids when they lost the farm following his father's death, Grant Wood never lost touch with Jones county. In 1932 he organized and operated the Stone City art colony and one of his paintings, titled "Stone City" pictures the bridge which crosses the Wapsipinicon there.

At the age of 15 he was turning out water colors with professional ease, but it was not until 1929 and 1930 that he painted the picture, "Woman With Plants," a portrait of his mother, which started him on the road to recognition as a topflight American painter.

Before that time, after studying at the Academie Julian in Pairs, France, he had turned out many Europe-influenced paintings, most of which are forgotten.

His ascent to fame came rapidly after his swing to his new style, influenced by the Flemish, but unrelated to any particular school of painting.

"American Gothic," "Dinner for Threshers," "Young Corn" and "Fall Plowing"--all strictly Iowan--came from his brush in rapid succession.

His painting, "Daughters of Revolution," a picture of three dour women--one stiffly holding a tea cup--brought a storm of criticism.

Wood's last paintings were "Parson Weem's Fable," and a pair, "Spring in the Country," and "Spring in Town."

In 1934 he was named director of public works art projects in Iowa and he also began lecturing in graphic and plastic arts at the University of Iowa art department. Later in 1934 he was appointed associate professor and in June, 1941, was named professor of fine arts.

He married Mrs. Sara Sherman Maxon in March, 1935, at Minneapolis, but divorced her in 1939.

He is survived by a sister, Mrs. E. E. Graham, Los Angles, Calif., and a brother, Frank, Waterloo. His sister was made his sole heir.