“Alexander, Caesar, Napoleon, you all had great moments, but you never tasted the supreme triumph; you were never a farm boy riding from the fields on a bulging rack of new mown hay.” ~Grant Wood
This quote by Grant Wood shows quite well how even the greatest of men can miss out on the smallest of things. Grant Wood was an American artist and was particularly well known for his regionalist works. Regionalism is a naturalist modern art form in which rural countryside and small towns are depicted as stylized and with all lines crisp and defined. Regionalism began during the great depression and into the 1940s but was relatively short-lived as far as styles go. Grant Wood was one of the three big artist that produced the regionalist works.
Grant Wood grew up in a small town in Iowa and learned to paint at a small school there. It was here that he would later revisit and create the famous portrait of American gothic. It is also most likely here that he came by the inspiration for this quote. Since most of his work was completed during the great depression, it is reasonable to assume that Grant would have a deeper appreciation for the simple things in life that most people take for granted. In Grants mind, the great people like Caesar, Napoleon, and Alexander never knew what is felt like to not only feel triumph, but also feel satisfied with their position. When people like Napoleon and Alexander achieved victory it was never complete more was always needed, but to people like Grant, they could feel victory enough enjoying the simple pleasures in life and appreciating what good fortune they have rather than chasing a thirst that will never be quenched.
