Textile, The Ride of Paul Revere

Grant Wood, one of the most important regionalist artists of the American Midwest, is best known for his iconic 1930 painting, “American Gothic.” Wood sold numerous lithograph and gelatone prints through Associated American Artists, one of which was based on his painting, The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere. Prior to Wood’s death in 1942, Reeves Lewenthal, founder and president of Associated American Artists, commissioned him to adapt the painting into a textile design. However, Reeves was unable to find a manufacturer to produce the designs. (1)
When developing the Pioneer Pathways collection with Riverdale Fabrics in 1952, Lewenthal included The Ride of Paul Revere, which became the artist’s only textile design. (2) The bird’s-eye imagery, predominantly in green, brown, and white, is focused on the towns and surrounding countryside rather than the famous Patriot, whose tiny figure rides past a towering church.
The Ride of Paul Revere is included in the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art’s traveling exhibition, “Art for Every Home: Associated American Artists, 1934-2000.”
The museum currently holds one lithograph print by Grant Wood, called February (1960-246-17).
(1) Gail Windisch, Sylvan Cole Jr., and Karen J. Herbaugh, Art for Every Home: Associated American Artists, 1934-2000 (Manhattan: Marianna Kistler Beach Museum, Kansas State University, 2016): 149.

Textile, The Ride of Paul Revere; Designed by Grant Wood (American, 1891–1942); Produced by Associated American Artists (United States); cotton; H x W: 199.4 × 111.2 cm (6 ft. 6 1/2 in. × 43 3/4 in.); American Textile History Museum Collection; 2017-24-3