Grant Wood "Family Doctor," Photo Offset Lithography Print
Item Details
This lot includes a lithographic image, the last in fact, ever to be produced by one of America’s most loved regionalist painters, Grant Wood (February 13, 1891 – February 12, 1942) who is most famous for one of the most widely reproduced paintings, ‘American Gothic.’ This image is entitled ‘Family Doctor,’ and is Wood’s last creation, Wood fell deathly ill in 1941, and died of pancreatic cancer in 1942 just before his 51st birthday. Of this final lithograph Wood is quoted as having said “Let this be a tribute to the skill and artistry of the Family Doctor from one who for many years has known him well, sometimes in his professional role, occasionally as a critic, always as a friend.” (Via The Physician’s Pallette). ‘During the Great Depression, Wood adopted lithography, and produced nineteen lithographs between 1937-1941. These lithographs were distributed by Associated American Artists, a populist organization which attracted regionalists and marketed low-cost prints to middle class Americans. Wood at this time produced Family Doctor. The doctor in Family Doctor was modeled after Wood’s personal physician, Dr. A. W. Bennett. Dr. Bennett practiced in Iowa City. The lithograph was made for Abbott Laboratories, who gave free copies of the lithograph to physicians (also via The Physician’s Palette, see link below).’ The print is signed to the bottom right hand corner. This print is difficult to authenticate because of how the print was distributed, and when, being that Wood died very soon after its creation and that the print was distributed by Associated American Artists. The print does exhibit an extremely fine dot pattern consistent with photo offset lithography printmaking, but this very well could have been how the prints were produced. The print is presented in a wooden frame with black paint.
Condition
Good-Fair, light foxing to the mat, minor wear to the frame.
Dimensions
Item #
13CIN122-440
Additional Information
