9. American Gothic by Grant Wood
Perhaps the only painting on our list with a touch of humor is American Gothic, a piece of art which has been endlessly mimicked and parodied in numerous forms. Wood saw a small house infused with Gothic architecture, and it immediately inspired him to produce this painting. The two sullen characters in front came from his sister and dentist, whom he believed to be perfect for the painting. It’s now almost a century old, and American Gothic has cemented its place in both American art and on our list of 12 famous paintings with the stories behind them.
