Have you ever wondered why eggplants are called eggplants, or why they tell you to break a leg when you’re interviewing for an important job? We take those things for granted and never stop to think about the origin of such phrases, but it turns out there was a lot of thought put into them. There’s a recent trend on Twitter where people share the most random things they’ve found out when they were “today years old” – that is, too late – and some of these revelations are guaranteed to surprise you.
The farmer’s daughter
The painting American Gothic by artist Grant Wood is probably one of the most iconic works of art in American culture. The popularity of this painting results in plenty of parodies and interpretations over the years, and it seems as if most people who laid eyes on the painting saw it as a portrait of a farmer and his wife.
However, art majors among us know the truth about the iconic painting: Wood didn’t intend on creating a portrait of a farmer and his wife, but a farmer and his daughter. The woman was inspired by the painter’s sister, who served as a model, and the man with the chilling gaze was inspired by the family’s dentist.