Description
This impressive drawing relates to a series of lithographs—which Wood planned but never completed—representing all the seasons and months of the year. He made finished drawings depicting four of the months, and this is the only subject of which he also made a painting. Contrary to the usual evolution of a composition, he made the lithograph first, in 1937, then this drawing, in 1938, and finally the painting, in 1940.
Provenance
Sold by Grand Central Art Galleries, New York, to IBM International Foundation, New York, 1940; sold, Sotheby's, New York, May 25, 1995, pp. 106–07. Private collection, Chicago. Owen Gallery, New York. Private Collection, California. Sold by James Reinish & Associates, New York, to the Art Institute of Chicago, 2015.
Accession Number
228478
Medium
Charcoal, smudging and erasure, and white Conté crayon on tan paperboard
Dimensions
52 × 68 cm (20 1/2 × 26 13/16 in.)
Classification
charcoal
Credit Line
Regenstein Acquisition Fund and Regenstein Foundation
Background & Context
Background Story
Grant Wood's "January" (1938) is a charcoal drawing with smudging and erasure and white Conté crayon on tan paperboard, depicting the stark beauty of the winter landscape. Wood (1891–1942) was one of the most famous American painters of the 20th century, best known for his iconic painting "American Gothic." This drawing shows a winter scene—perhaps the landscape of Iowa, where Wood lived and worked. The tan paperboard provides a warm mid-tone, against which the charcoal builds the dark forms of trees and shadows, while the white Conté crayon adds the snow and highlights. The smudging and erasure techniques create soft transitions of tone that capture the muted quality of winter light. Wood's treatment emphasizes the geometric structure of the landscape—the horizontal lines of the snow-covered ground, the vertical accents of the bare trees—creating a composition of quiet strength. "January" captures the stark beauty of the Midwest winter, a subject that Wood understood intimately and rendered with a combination of affection and formal precision.
Cultural Impact
Wood's drawings of the Iowa landscape demonstrate his mastery of graphic media and his deep connection to the American heartland, capturing the beauty of the Midwest with precision and affection.
Why It Matters
This charcoal drawing of a January landscape captures the stark beauty of the Midwest winter, the controlled handling and refined tonal range creating an image of quiet strength and seasonal stillness.
