Student Artwork Guide — American Progress

Name Class Date

The facts

Copyright This work is in the public domain. John Gast died in 1896; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 1966.

American Progress — John Gast

The original measures 29 × 40 cm (height × width), drawn here beside an adult of average height.

Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 54 at death.

Painted when the artist was 30. The artist lived to 54. 0 of the 1 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.

Shaded: the lifetime of John Gast (1842–1896) ▲ this work, 1872 every dated painting, decade by decade

Measured from the image

Main colour

Gray #878273

Catalogued palette

Main colour name: Gray
Intensity: Monochromatic How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
Contrast: Bold How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
Harmony: Discordant Palette How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
Brightness: Balanced How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
Saturation: Muted How pure and strong the colours are, from near-grey to fully vivid.

Born in Berlin, Germany

The artist John Gast wahooart.com/en/artists/john-gast/
Similar works More works to compare wahooart.com/en/art/similar/american-progress-by-john-gast/

wahooart.com/en/art/download/american-progress-by-john-gast/

MLA: Gast, John. American Progress. 1872, https://wahooart.com/en/art/american-progress-by-john-gast/
APA: Gast, John (1872). American Progress [Painting]. https://wahooart.com/en/art/american-progress-by-john-gast/
Chicago: John Gast. American Progress. 1872. https://wahooart.com/en/art/american-progress-by-john-gast/
Harvard: Gast, John (1872) American Progress. Available at: https://wahooart.com/en/art/american-progress-by-john-gast/

American Progress — John Gast

Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

What catches your eye first, and why?
Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
How many faces can you find? ____ (our catalogue counts 11 — do you agree?)
John Gast was about 30 when this was made. What in it looks like the work of an artist at that stage?
What might the artist have wanted you to feel?

Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.

The color composition of "American Progress" by John Gast combines a bold contrast with a discordant palette harmony.

Regarding copyright, "American Progress" is in the public domain - its copyright has expired.

"American Progress" by John Gast can be downloaded from the artwork's Download page, as a high-resolution digital image download.