Title of Artwork: “Shenandoah Valley”
Artwork by Grandma Moses
Year Created 1938
Summary of Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley is depicted in this painting by Grandmother Moses. Since the scene is so lifelike, it appears as though it was created by using a collage technique with real foliage. In the foreground, three cows graze alongside a wooden rail fence in lush green fields and flowering trees. In the distance, a picture-perfect white house sits on the bank of a river, and the horizon continues to flow into a distant mountain range even further back.
All About Shenandoah Valley
Moses was influenced by her travels, as evidenced by this early piece. After her marriage, Moses relocated from New York to the South and spent a significant amount of time in the Shenandoah Valley, where she raised her children. In fact, Moses’ “memory pictures.” include this painting. The artist didn’t create this piece while she was living in Virginia, as she did with many of her other works. As a result, the landscape is more of a “daydream” than an accurate representation of what it looked like to Moses while he lived here. Margot Cleary, the author, explains: “When Grandma Moses was working at the churn, she would gaze out at the Shenandoah Valley, wishing she could paint the scene. It was years before she began painting seriously. As soon as she was able to, it was clear that she had meticulously preserved nearly every detail. Grandma Moses’ landscapes were more than just representations of mountains, valleys, trees, and fields; they told stories or provided inspiration for the viewer to make up their own. Her highly decorative style was reminiscent of the primitive painters with whom she was frequently associated.”
This painting is notable because it is the only one in which there is no depiction of a single person. Instead, the viewer’s attention is drawn solely to the Valley’s lush landscape. To Moses, rural America was an important part of the United States. A half of her children were born here, but they were all taken from her far too soon. “five graves I left in that beautiful Shenandoah Valley” she wrote in later memories of the area. As a result, the scene’s serene and loving tone can be attributed to these painful memories. Because this painting is a tribute to the spirits, Moses has omitted any human figures from the scene.
Information Citations
En.wikipedia.org, https://en.wikipedia.org/.
