American Gothic

American Gothic is a painting by Grant Wood, from 1930. Portraying a pitchfork-holding man and a woman in front of a house of Carpenter Gothic style, it is one of the most familiar images in 20th century American art. The models, who sat for the painting separately, were the artist's sister, Nan, and his dentist, Dr. Byron McKeeby.
Wood wanted to depict the traditional roles of men and women as the man is holding a pitchfork symbolizing hand labor. Wood placed plants behind the woman to convey the image of a domestic housewife.
American Gothic is one of the most reproduced—and parodied—images ever.