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Like in the work of Eastman Johnson, Wood juxtaposes a young girl with an older farmer, the advice giver. In the 1870s images of young farmers in painted works began to decline, their places being taken by older depictions verging on grandparent figures. The frank sentiment imbued within the scenes, including Wood’s American Farmer endeared them to the masses, while also harkening back to a simpler time before industrialization.
Artist
Thomas Waterman Wood
(1823 - 1903)
American Farmer
Date1882
MediumOil on canvas
DimensionsFramed: 27 1/4 × 21 1/4 × 2 1/4 in. (69.2 × 54 × 5.7 cm)
Sight: 23 1/8 × 17 3/16 in. (58.7 × 43.7 cm)
Object numberN0310.1961
Credit LineCollection of the Fenimore Art Museum. Gift of Stephen C. Clark
Photograph by Richard Walker
Label TextA character study on a small scale, American Farmer attempts to capture something of the human condition, in this case, the bond that often exists between the very old and the very young. Perhaps the original title, Seeking Advice, gives a better sense of the artist’s intent—the passing on of simple information from one generation to another. Wood’s remarkable ability to capture texture is notable in the lace trim on the girl’s dress and the various textures and details found within the barn. Like in the work of Eastman Johnson, Wood juxtaposes a young girl with an older farmer, the advice giver. In the 1870s images of young farmers in painted works began to decline, their places being taken by older depictions verging on grandparent figures. The frank sentiment imbued within the scenes, including Wood’s American Farmer endeared them to the masses, while also harkening back to a simpler time before industrialization.
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