Midwest Icons: Grant Wood, John Steuart Curry, and Thomas Hart Benton

Grant Wood, Thomas Hart Benton, and John Steuart Curry were central figures in the American Regionalist movement, which celebrated rural Midwestern life and values during the early 20th century. Their work was supported and complemented by secondary artists such as Marvin Cone, Doris Lee, and Charles Burchfield, who also portrayed everyday American experiences with vivid detail and emotional resonance. Together, these artists created a body of work that countered European modernism by emphasizing realism, tradition, and national identity. Their collective efforts helped define a distinctly American style during the Great Depression and brought widespread attention to Midwestern culture.