a painting (1930) by the US artist Grant Wood. It shows a farmer holding a pitchfork (= a farm implement with two or three sharp metal points) and standing next to a woman in front of a farm building. Both look sad, and the picture is often used for humorous advertisements.
AMERICAN GOTHIC
Meaning of AMERICAN GOTHIC in English
Oxford guide to British and American culture English vocabulary. Руководство по британской и американской культуре, Оксфордский английский словарь. 2005