Washington, D.C. Government Charwoman (American Gothic)

July 1942, printed later

Gordon Parks

Associated Names
Gordon Parks

Artist, American, 1912 - 2006

This sepia-toned photograph shows a woman from the waist up, facing us. She has dark skin and short, neatly styled hair.  She wears round glasses and is dressed in a polka-dotted dress with short sleeves and a buttoned front. Her expression is neutral as she looks towards us, the corners of her lips slightly turned down. She stands partially behind a large broom on the left side of the image, its fibers facing upwards. The background consists of an American flag hanging vertically on a white wall, with its stripes and stars prominently visible. On the right side of the image, a mop can be seen in the background, leaning against a surface.
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On View

East Building Concourse, Galleries


Artwork overview


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Gordon Parks, New York; gift to the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, 1998; acquired by NGA, 2016.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1997

  • Half Past Autumn: The Art of Gordon Parks, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, September 10, 1997 – January 11, 1998

2017

  • The Sweat of their Face: Portraying American Workers, National Portrait Gallery, Washington, 2017-2018.

Wikidata ID

Q64154341

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