Quote by Grandma Moses

This work examines the life and artistic career of Anna Mary Robertson Moses, known widely as Grandma Moses, a prominent figure in twentieth-century American folk art. Born in 1860 in upstate New York, Moses spent decades working as a farmwife and mother before taking up painting in her late seventies to relieve arthritis in her hands. Working from memory, she depicted nostalgic scenes of farm life, seasonal landscapes, and community gatherings in a direct, untutored style characterized by flattened perspective, vibrant colors, and meticulous attention to detail. Her paintings gained national attention in the 1940s, leading to widespread exhibitions, commercial reproductions, and cultural celebrity that extended well into her nineties. The book situates her work within the context of American regionalism and the folk art revival, while also addressing how her image as a rustic, elderly painter served particular narratives about American identity and the accessibility of artistic expression. The volume considers her relationship with collectors, dealers, and the media apparatus that promoted her work, as well as her influence on subsequent perceptions of self-taught and outsider art in the United States. more