Student Artwork Guide
Copyright This work is still under copyright. Grandma Moses died in 1961; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it remains in force until 2031. The image is shown here for classroom reference; rights remain with the rights holder.
In context
Thunderstorm — Grandma Moses
Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 101 at death.
Shaded: the lifetime of Grandma Moses (1860–1961) every dated painting, decade by decade
This record has no exact year on file — using the artist's lifetime and the work's style, what decade would you guess?
Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.
More works to set beside this one: topimpressionists.com/en/art/similar/grandma-moses-thunderstorm-8BWQR5-en/
Measured from the image
Main colour
White #ebeae6
Catalogued palette
These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour
The ten leading countries
Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.
Together these works take 96.2% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 92 works by this artist, of which 20 were looked at at least once. This painting has not been looked at yet in that time — it closes the list without a rank. The same counts, month by month
Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.
Artist and museum
Born in Greenwich, United States of America
Born: September 7, 1860, Greenwich, New York
Died: December 13, 1961, Hoosick Falls, New York
Full Name: Anna Mary Robertson Moses (known as Grandma Moses)
Anna Mary Robertson was born into a modest farming family in Greenwich, New York. Her early life involved hard work and domestic responsibilities, leaving little time for formal artistic training.
She briefly attended school but primarily learned through observation and practical experience.
At age 12, she left home to work as a housekeeper, a role she held intermittently throughout her young adulthood. This period exposed her to various households and provided glimpses into different lives.
In 1905, she married Thomas Salmon Moses and they moved to Virginia, where they worked on several farms before returning to New York in 1905. They had ten children, five of whom survived infancy.
Following her husband's death in 1927, Anna continued to live on their farm, engaging in various tasks including gardening and embroidery.
Grandma Moses did not begin painting seriously until the late 1930s, at the age of 78. Arthritis had made needlework difficult, prompting her to seek a new creative outlet.
Initially, she used household paints and found materials like charcoal and berry juice to create her artwork. Her early subjects were primarily scenes from her own life – rural landscapes, farm animals, domestic chores, and depictions of everyday activities in the countryside.
Her style is characterized as naïve art or folk art, marked by a simple, direct approach, vibrant colors, and a charmingly unrefined technique. She did not adhere to traditional artistic conventions, instead capturing her memories and observations with an authentic and personal perspective.
Influences: While largely self-taught, Grandma Moses was influenced by the idyllic scenes of Currier and Ives prints she saw in her youth. She also drew inspiration from the American folk art tradition, sharing a similar emphasis on storytelling and depicting everyday life.
Style: Her paintings are known for their bright colors, detailed depictions of rural landscapes, and nostalgic portrayal of farm life. She often used impasto techniques, applying thick layers of paint to create texture and depth.
Major Works: Some of her most celebrated works include "Sugaring Off," "The Tramp at Christmas," "Catching the Turkey," and "Untitled (2504)." These paintings offer a glimpse into the rhythms and traditions of rural America during the early 20th century.
Grandma Moses gained widespread recognition in the 1950s, achieving remarkable success at an advanced age. She was featured on the cover of Time magazine in 1953, solidifying her status as a national icon.
Her work has been exhibited in museums across the United States and internationally, and she received honorary doctoral degrees from several universities.
Grandma Moses's legacy lies in her ability to capture the essence of rural Americana with honesty and charm. She is considered one of the most important figures in American folk art, demonstrating that artistic talent can emerge at any stage of life. Her paintings offer a valuable record of a bygone era and continue to resonate with audiences today for their warmth, simplicity, and nostalgic appeal.
topimpressionists.com/en/art/download/grandma-moses-thunderstorm-8BWQR5-en/
Look closely
Thunderstorm — Grandma Moses
Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.
Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.
The colors of "Thunderstorm" by Grandma Moses have a balanced soft saturation. Saturation describes how vivid or muted the colors are.
The dominant hue of "Thunderstorm" by Grandma Moses is ochre to sepia. The hue is the underlying tone of the palette.
"Thunderstorm" is defined by a neutrals palette led by white (#ebeae6).