Grandma Moses, We Are Resting, 1951, oil on high-density fiberboard, overall: 24 × 30 in. (61 × 76.2 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Kallir Family, in Memory of Hildegard Bachert, 2019.55
Smithsonian American Art Museum
8th and G Streets, NW
Washington, DC
Grandma Moses: A Good Day’s Work sheds new light on a beloved body of work by Anna Mary Robertson “Grandma” Moses (1860 – 1961). Grandma Moses used creativity, hope, and togetherness as tools for shaping a life that she metaphorically likened to “a good day’s work.” Moses melded direct observation of nature and personal memories in her works, resulting in idiosyncratic, yet compelling, stories of America. The artist’s fame made her a polarizing figure—beloved by the popular press and American public but belittled by the art world and critical press. This exhibition introduces the artist to new generations and examines her legacy in the context of America today.
