50 Mind-Blowing Things People Are Surprised to Only Have Learned Recently

The painting American Gothic by artist Grant Wood is probably one of American culture’s most iconic works of art. Its popularity has resulted in plenty of parodies and interpretations over the years, and it seems that most people who saw it 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 to create 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.