Grandma Moses: Painting Memories of Country Life
Snow covers the ground in a Grandma Moses painting, but the scene is far from still. Tiny figures travel along roads, gather near buildings, and go about their work. The artist filled her pictures with details that help viewers imagine life in the countryside long ago.
Anna Mary Robertson Moses, known as Grandma Moses, was born on September 7, 1860, in Greenwich, New York. She grew up in a large farming family. As a child, she enjoyed making pictures, sometimes using materials she found around her home. Art was part of her life long before she became famous for it.
As a young woman, Anna worked for other families. In 1887, she married Thomas Moses, and the couple eventually moved to Virginia, where they farmed and raised a family. Later, they returned to New York State. Farm life involved demanding work, and Anna also made useful and decorative objects by hand. For years, she embroidered pictures with yarn, creating images with stitches on fabric.
- demanding:
- Requiring a lot of effort or hard work.
- decorative:
- Made to look attractive or to add beauty.
- rural:
- Related to the countryside rather than a city.
- landscape:
- An area of land and the features seen in it.
- exhibitions:
- Public displays of objects, such as works of art.
- solo:
- Done by or featuring one person.
- preserve:
- To protect something and keep it in good condition.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1What is the main idea of the passage? Give one detail that supports it.
- 2How did Moses's childhood and farm life influence her paintings?
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About this explanatory article passage for Upper Elementary
“Grandma Moses: Painting Memories of Country Life” is a explanatory article reading passage about Grandma Moses and American art, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 3 minutes to read (484 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.