| Regionalism - The History | | | | Socialism. |
| The American Realist Modern Art Movement, | | | | The Artists & Their Works |
| popular during 1930s, 1930-35 to be specific, is | | | | Some of the classic examples of Regionalist art |
| known as Regionalism. In fact, this art form grew | | | | works include paintings depicting the American |
| parallel to Social Realism. Artists, desirous of | | | | heartland, filling the viewer with hope and |
| depicting normal & healthy rural life, finally | | | | optimism during the dipping Great Depression Era |
| started this Western Painting style. They | | | | of America in 1930s. The three most popular |
| uniformly disliked the rapid advancement and the | | | | Regionalists of 1930s were Thomas Hart Benton |
| modern city life, away from nature. Adopted by | | | | (1889-1975), Grant Wood (1891-1942), who loved |
| 'Conservative' artists, author and art critic | | | | depicting the rural life of Midwest America, and |
| Thomas Craven (1888-1969) promoted | | | | John Steuart Curry (1897-1946), among many |
| Regionalism. The art form was also used as a tool | | | | others. Their masterpieces include the following |
| to counter the growing creative 'European | | | | paintings:o American Gothic - This unique |
| Abstraction.' Therefore, American art scene in | | | | Regionalist work by Grant Wood was done in |
| 1930s witnessed a productive conflict between | | | | 1930. A rural cottage household wondrously |
| Regionalism, Social Realism, and Abstract Art. In | | | | inspired it. A farmer and a woman (may be his |
| 1940s, Abstract Expressionism eventually | | | | daughter or wife), shown in a colorful apron like |
| overtook Regionalism, ending an interesting art | | | | those worn by the Americans in the 19th |
| style. | | | | century, are the central characters of this picture. |
| The Details | | | | While the man is depicted holding a pitchfork |
| American Regionalists usually followed a typical | | | | indicating labor, the flowers in the background hint |
| idiosyncratic art style. Their artworks | | | | at a rural domestic scene.o Kansas Pastoral - The |
| concentrated more on localized subject matters | | | | Unmortgaged Farm, called as Kansas Pastoral, is a |
| and realistic themes, reflecting a positive and | | | | lovely mural by John Steuart Curry, depicting the |
| bright rural or urban lifestyle during the 1920s and | | | | American scene, the Regionalist way. It is a simple |
| 30s. The scenic paintings often depicted normal | | | | black and white artwork done on paper. Inspired |
| village life and the everyday activities of the | | | | by the Kansas Statehouse of Topeka, the |
| villagers. In effect, natural landscapes, animals, and | | | | painting shows cows grazing, with a farm-like |
| rural village life, were the key themes of | | | | scene in the background.o Letter from Overseas |
| Regionalist paintings. The paintings offered personal | | | | - This Regionalist painting by Thomas Hart Benton |
| viewpoints to any given situation in the | | | | was produced in 1943. The scene indicates dusk, |
| background of a typical American region or place. | | | | with a woman reading a letter in an open |
| As mentioned above, these painters were rather | | | | farmland, under the light of a single lantern. It is a |
| opposed to the urban culture and Modern | | | | lithographic artwork, done on woven paper. |