“Parson Weems’ Fable,” created in 1939 by artist Grant Wood, is a history painting that exemplifies the Regionalism art movement. This work, rendered in oil on canvas, is part of the collection at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States. The artwork explores a well-known American legend with a unique visual interpretation that reflects Wood’s characteristic style.
The artwork presents a highly stylized narrative scene involving four figures. Dominating the right side of the painting is a solemn, adequately sized figure presumably representing George Washington, who stands with an air of dignity and seriousness. The man is dressed in a dark suit, and a curtain is draped behind him, suggesting that we are witnessing a stage set for the unfolding scene. To his left, a smaller figure in red, identified as Parson Weems—known for writing a biography of George Washington—raises the curtain to reveal a younger Washington and a large cherry tree. This younger Washington, depicted as a boy in the center of the artwork, holds a hatchet and displays a guilty expression. His pose suggests a confession, which is a direct reference to the famous anecdote of Washington chopping down his father’s cherry tree and admitting to the act.
The curious arrangement of the figures and the ensemble’s theatrical staging lend the artwork a sense of playfulness. The landscape in the backdrop is characterized by rolling hills with neat rows of trees, typical of Wood’s Regionalism style, which often included depictions of pastoral American scenes. The oversized cherry tree and giant basket of cherries add an element of the whimsical to the artwork, emphasizing the legendary and arguably mythical nature of the story being illustrated. Overall, the artwork captures a moment steeped in American folklore using a creative composition that merges historical narrative with fanciful imagery.
