Amon Carter print details

Parson Weems' Fable

Grant Wood (1891-1942)

Object Details

  • Date

    1939

  • Object Type

    Paintings

  • Medium

    Oil on canvas

  • Dimensions

    38 3/8 x 50 1/8 in.

  • Inscriptions

    Recto:

    signed and dated l.r.: GRANT WOOD \ 1939

    Verso:

    u.l. in ink on stretcher: "PARSON WEEMS' FABLE" \ GRANT WOOD 1939

    u.r. in graphite on stretcher: OWNER MRS JOHN P. MARQUAND

    label: Associate American Artists \ Inc. \ Title "Parson Weems Fables" \ Artist Grant Wood \ Medium \ Ledger No. \ Rack No. Bin No. \ 711 FIFTH AVENUE. NEW YORK

    label:WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART \ 10 Wesr 8th Street, New York City \ Receiving Room 15 1/2 Mac Dougal Alley \ 1940 ANNUAL EXHIBITION OF PAINTINGS \ SCULPTURE, WATERCOLOR, DRAWINGS AND PRINTS \ JANUARY 10 - FEBRUARY 18, 1940 \ ARTISTS Grant Wood \ ADDRESS 1142 Court Street Iowa City Ia \ TITLE "Parson Weems' Fable" \ PRICE \ INSURANCE VALUATION \ RETURN ADDRESS c/o Assoc Amer Artists \ 711 Fifth Avenue

    Frame, Recto:

    l.c. on frame in oil: PARSON WEEMS' FABLE

    Frame, Verso:

    in graphite: PARSOn WeeMS

  • Credit Line

    Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Fort Worth, Texas

  • Accession Number

    1970.43

  • Copyright

    Public domain

Object Description

In 1939, Wood created this painting of the folktale of young George Washington and the cherry tree to remind viewers of America’s democratic foundations at a time when fascism was escalating in Europe.

Parson Weems, the author of the fable, pulls back the curtain and points to a six-year-old Washington who is confessing to his father, “I cannot tell a lie.” Wood humorously appropriated the adult head from Gilbert Stuart’s eighteenth-century portrait of the first president (which graces the one-dollar bill) for the young boy. The African Americans in the background, who are picking cherries, remind us that even though Washington was the first leader of the newly independent nation, he was a slaveholder his entire life.

Additional details

Location: On view
W28-artist-CMYK-CarterBlack
See more by Grant Wood

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Educator Resources
  • Why might fables or popular stories appeal to an artist as inspiration for an artwork?

    What strategies might an artist use to convey a narrative?

    How have fables and folktales helped shape people's understanding of history and national identity?

    How can an artwork influence or alter our understanding of a fable or folktale?

  • Grades 4–8

    Activity 1
    We know that in this work of art, Grant Wood is representing the moral of honesty through Parson Weems’ American fable of George Washington and the Cherry Tree. Students should consider other morals that we try to uphold as Americans. This could be loyalty, bravery, patience, knowledge, support, independence, acceptance, or something else. Students will draw curtains to create a stage for their artwork, just as Grant Wood painted. Then, they will sketch a representation of the moral that is most important to them.

    Activity 2
    Students will explore narrative from the role of narrator—the one pulling back the curtains to reveal a story about an individual. Students should consider:

    • Who will be the star on their stage?
    • Whose story should be told and known by the public?
    • What lesson, idea, or skill has this person taught?
    • What action will be taking place on the stage?
    • What will be in the background?

    Students can sketch a pair of curtains. In between the curtains they can write the following headings: “Who,” “Action,” and “Background.” They should be sure to leave space in between the headings. For “Who,” write down who is the central figure of your story and explain why you selected this individual. For “Action” write down two to three sentences describing what action will take place on your stage. For “Background” give a detailed description of what will be in the background.

    All Levels

    Students will use a stencil to make an outline of a star. Next they will consider “simple, everyday things” to include in a patriotic artwork. Using blue and red markers, students will list those things inside and/or outside of the star.

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