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October 28, 1942

The start of this World War the Second ended an era of our times. We will look back on it as an age of comfort and plenty. With all our values changed we will find in remembering it as a "golden age", that the art born of that time takes on an added glory as a symbol of the peace and culture and the American awakening that we knew. 

In the years ahead of us Grant Wood's paintings will stand like quiet monuments in their interpretation of that life. 

No other contemporary artist's work had the unique appeal that Grant's work had. Pope Pius XI wrote Grant asking to see more of his reproductions. The Parisian critics were enthusiastic over "Daughters of [[strikethrough]] the [[/strikethrough]] Revolution" and the common man saw in these [[strikethrough]] works [[/strikethrough]] PAINTINGS something that he reacted to. 

We who are here can only add our word of thanks and appreciation expressing our debt to the artist and to his works. 

John Stuart Curry