A Depiction of Rural Life in Grandma Moses’ Folk Art Paintings

Grandma Moses: A Good Day’s Work
© Grandma Moses Properties Co., NY. Courtesy Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Grandma Moses, A Country Wedding, 1951, oil on pressed wood, Bennington Museum, Museum purchase, 1998.79.

Grandma Moses: A Good Day’s Work sheds new light on a beloved body of work by Anna Mary Robertson Grandma” Moses (1860 – 1961). Grandma Moses used creativity, hope, and togetherness as tools for shaping a life that she metaphorically likened to ​a good day’s work.” The artist’s fame made her a polarizing figure — beloved by the popular press and American public but belittled by the art world and critical press. This exhibition introduces the artist to new generations and examines her legacy in the context of America today.

Event Information
Start Date: October 24, 2025
End Date: July 26, 2026
Venue: Smithsonian American Art Museum

Grandma Moses: A Good Day’s Work