Famous American Painters Quiz | People

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In December 1961 Grandma Moses, the famous American primitive painter, died at the age of 101. In what U.S. state did she reside?

Answer: New York

Anna Mary Robertson Moses (a.k.a. "Grandma" Moses), started painting in her later years when arthritis made it too difficult for her to sew, embroider and knit. She painted mainly scenes of country life and before her fame, would charge $2 to $3 for one.

It is alleged that the famous popular composer Cole Porter saw her paintings while vacationing in upstate, bought several, and gave them away as Christmas cards to his friends that year. Mrs. Moses lived her entire life in east-central New York.

2. A well-known painting depicts a stern looking man and woman standing in front of a farmhouse. The man is holding a pitchfork. What American artist painted this iconic picture of rural life?

Answer: Grant Wood

Grant Wood was born and raised in Iowa in 1891. As a youth, he took an interest in art and in the 1920s, made several trips to Europe to study. In the 30s, he taught art at the University of Iowa. He used his sister, Nan, as the model for the woman in his 1930 painting "American Gothic". Grant passed away a day before his 51st birthday in 1942.

3. Who was the female artist whose works focused mainly on women and children?

Answer: Mary Cassatt

Mary was born in Pennsylvania in 1844. She traveled and studied art in Europe where she became a good friend of Edgar Degas. His influence can be seen in her paintings which focused mainly on women and children, particularly women in motherly scenes. In later life, she suffered from cataracts and rheumatism which forced her to give up painting in 1914. She passed away in France in 1926.

4. Some of this artist's paintings are entitled "Gloucester Harbor" and "Breezing Up". Who was this artist that painted mainly the New England countryside and nautical themes?

Answer: Winslow Homer

Homer, born in Boston in 1836, was a self-taught artist and began his career as a freelance illustrator and lithographer. Unlike other artists that usually employed one type of media, Homer worked in a variety of them such as wood carving, oil and watercolor. In 1962 the U.S. Postal Service used Homer's oil painting, "Breezing Up", on a four cent stamp.

5. Who was the female artist known primarily for her canvas-filling depictions of flowers?

Answer: Georgia O'Keeffe

O'Keeffe was born in Wisconsin in 1887, the second of seven children. She developed a close relationship with Alfred Stieglitz and they were married in 1924 after Stieglitz obtained a divorce from his first wife. They remained married until his death in 1946. O'Keeffe stopped painting in 1972 due to failing eyesight, but continued to draw in pencil and charcoal.

She died in New Mexico in 1986 at age 98.

6. What American artist's life and work was depicted in a movie starring Ed Harris?

Answer: Jackson Pollock

In "Pollock" (2000), Ed Harris portrayed the embattled artist and focused on his alcoholism and turbulent marriage to fellow-artist Lee Krasner. The real Pollock was pejoratively nicknamed "Jack the Dripper" from his unique abstract style of allowing the paint to drizzle from his brush onto a horizontally positioned canvas.

7. Norman Rockwell's folksy art of mainstream Americana often adorned the covers of which magazine?

Answer: The Saturday Evening Post

Born in New York in 1894, he studied art at the National Academy of Design and the Art Student League. His worked as an editor of the magazine "Boy's Life" where his first cover illustration was published in 1913. He was married three times and had three children by his second wife.

He moved to Stockbridge, Massachusetts in 1952 and maintained a studio there which is now a museum dedicated to his art. In his career, he painted 322 covers for "The Post", the last one being in 1962. He died at his home in Stockbridge in 1978.

8. Andy Warhol often used celebrities in his paintings. Which of these well-known females did he NOT paint ?

Answer: Sophia Loren

Called "The Father of Pop Art" Andy Warhol's paintings often looked like comic book art. His famous rendering of Marilyn Monroe and a Campbell's soup can are most notable. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1928, he led a flamboyant lifestyle and was even the target of an attempted murder in 1968. He died in 1987 after undergoing gallbladder surgery.

9. Which 19th century artist painted a portrait of a woman sitting in profile which he entitled "Arrangement in Grey and Black"?

Answer: James Whistler

James Abbott McNeill Whistler was born in Lowell, Massachusetts in 1834, but lived most of his life abroad, finally settling in London in 1859 and died there in 1903. He was mainly a portrait and landscape painter. His mother posed for his most famous painting in 1871, more popularly known as "Whistler's Mother", while she was living with him in London. She was his father's second wife.

10. What early 20th century artist said the following, "If you could say it in words there would be no reason to paint."?

Answer: Edward Hopper

Hopper was born in Nyack, New York in 1882. A good student in school, he showed a talent for drawing when five years old. His parents encouraged his gift and he studied at the New York Institute of Art and Design. He married fellow artist Josephine Nivison in 1924.

She became his manager and assistant. Hopper painted mainly portraits, landscapes and urban scenes using light and shadow that some art scholars compare to the 'film noir' genre of movies.

Source: Author debodun

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Snowman before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

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