Empowerment
With an expansive view of rolling hills and neatly patterned fields bordered by leafy trees, Grant Wood’s landscape portrays nature as property that is controlled by humans. Although it was created during a period of economic and environmental stress amidst the Great Depression and Dust Bowl, the painting conveys prosperity and wealth through land ownership.
Empowerment
With an expansive view of rolling hills and neatly patterned fields bordered by leafy trees, Grant Wood’s landscape portrays nature as property that is controlled by humans. Although it was created during a period of economic and environmental stress amidst the Great Depression and Dust Bowl, the painting conveys prosperity and wealth through land ownership.
Debut
Award-winning actress Katharine Hepburn purchased this painting shortly after it was created and later gave the painting to movie director George Cukor, who hung it in his dining room for many years. Hepburn mentions the painting in her autobiography, where she casts doubt over the gift of the painting to Cukor, declaring: “George loved it, so he took it.” Cukor loaned the work to the Spencer Museum for its 1978 opening and the painting entered the collection after his death in 1983. Near Sundown features the subtle, undulating hills of Wood’s home state of Iowa, but its circuitous journey to the Spencer provides an engaging tale behind the pigment.
Debut
Award-winning actress Katharine Hepburn purchased this painting shortly after it was created and later gave the painting to movie director George Cukor, who hung it in his dining room for many years. Hepburn mentions the painting in her autobiography, where she casts doubt over the gift of the painting to Cukor, declaring: “George loved it, so he took it.” Cukor loaned the work to the Spencer Museum for its 1978 opening and the painting entered the collection after his death in 1983. Near Sundown features the subtle, undulating hills of Wood’s home state of Iowa, but its circuitous journey to the Spencer provides an engaging tale behind the pigment.
20/21
The original owner of this painting was the actress Katharine Hepburn. Shortly after Grant Wood painted it in 1933, Hepburn purchased the work from the New York gallery of Maynard Walker, a Kansas City native known for his patronage of Midwestern artists. Hepburn later gave the painting to movie director George Cukor, who hung it in his dining room for many years. Hepburn even mentions the work in her autobiography, where she casts doubt over the gift of the painting to Cukor, declaring: “George loved it, so he took it.” Cukor loaned the work to the Spencer for its 1978 opening; the painting entered the permanent collection after his 1983 death. Near Sundown features the subtle, undulating hills of Grant Wood’s Iowa, but its circuitous journey to the Spencer provides an engaging tale behind the pigment.
20/21
The original owner of this painting was the actress Katharine Hepburn. Shortly after Grant Wood painted it in 1933, Hepburn purchased the work from the New York gallery of Maynard Walker, a Kansas City native known for his patronage of Midwestern artists. Hepburn later gave the painting to movie director George Cukor, who hung it in his dining room for many years. Hepburn even mentions the work in her autobiography, where she casts doubt over the gift of the painting to Cukor, declaring: “George loved it, so he took it.” Cukor loaned the work to the Spencer for its 1978 opening; the painting entered the permanent collection after his 1983 death. Near Sundown features the subtle, undulating hills of Grant Wood’s Iowa, but its circuitous journey to the Spencer provides an engaging tale behind the pigment.
Ear for Art
Didactic label content here.
20/21
The original owner of this painting was the actress Katharine Hepburn. Shortly after Grant Wood painted it in 1933, Hepburn purchased the work from the New York gallery of Maynard Walker, a Kansas City native known for his patronage of Midwestern artists. Hepburn later gave the painting to movie director George Cukor, who hung it in his dining room for many years. Hepburn even mentions the work in her autobiography, where she casts doubt over the gift of the painting to Cukor, declaring: “George loved it, so he took it.” Cukor loaned the work to the Spencer for its 1978 opening; the painting entered the permanent collection after his 1983 death. Near Sundown features the subtle, undulating hills of Grant Wood’s Iowa, but its circuitous journey to the Spencer provides an engaging tale behind the pigment.
20/21
The original owner of this painting was the actress Katharine Hepburn. Shortly after Grant Wood painted it in 1933, Hepburn purchased the work from the New York gallery of Maynard Walker, a Kansas City native known for his patronage of Midwestern artists. Hepburn later gave the painting to movie director George Cukor, who hung it in his dining room for many years. Hepburn even mentions the work in her autobiography, where she casts doubt over the gift of the painting to Cukor, declaring: “George loved it, so he took it.” Cukor loaned the work to the Spencer for its 1978 opening; the painting entered the permanent collection after his 1983 death. Near Sundown features the subtle, undulating hills of Grant Wood’s Iowa, but its circuitous journey to the Spencer provides an engaging tale behind the pigment.
Exhibition Label:
"Echoes of Human Migration in the Collection of the Spencer Museum of Art," Mar-2010
The original owner of this painting was the actress Katharine Hepburn. Shortly after Grant Wood painted it in 1933, Hepburn purchased the work from the New York gallery of Maynard Walker, a Kansas City native known for his patronage of Midwestern artists. Hepburn later gave the painting to movie director George Cukor, who hung it in his dining room for many years. Hepburn even mentions the work in her autobiography, where she casts doubt over the gift of the painting to Cukor, declaring: “George loved it, so he took it.” Cukor loaned the work to the Spencer for its 1978 opening; the painting entered the permanent collection after his 1983 death. Near Sundown features the subtle, undulating hills of Grant Wood’s Iowa, but its circuitous journey to the Spencer provides an engaging tale behind the pigment.
