Grant Wood
"Woman with Flowers," 1929

The artist never hid his deep affection for his mother, the woman portrayed in this painting. After all, she had been his quiet accomplice in childhood, helping him draw in secret away from his strict father. One of his favorite spots was beneath the kitchen table, hidden by the tablecloth. Years later, Wood recalled: «Only there could I be alone, quietly observing the adult world through the red Jacquard weave.»

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