Mr. and Mrs. America

Rex Clawson, Mr. and Mrs. America, 1969, enamel on wood, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Chuck and Jan Rosenak and museum purchase through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment, 1997.124.11
Copied Rex Clawson, Mr. and Mrs. America, 1969, enamel on wood, 2023 78 in. (50.860.7 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Chuck and Jan Rosenak and museum purchase through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment, 1997.124.11

Artwork Details

Title
Mr. and Mrs. America
Artist
Date
1969
Dimensions
2023 78 in. (50.860.7 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of Chuck and Jan Rosenak and museum purchase through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment
Mediums
Mediums Description
enamel on wood
Classifications
Keywords
  • Figure female — full length
  • Figure male — full length
  • Allegory — place — America
  • Emblem — seal
Object Number
1997.124.11

Artwork Description

Rex Clawson created Mr. and Mrs. America in 1969 to express his anger at the government and the military during the Vietnam War. The badges on the male figure show the branches of the military, while the images on the woman depict state emblems, symbolizing the government. He chose these details to stand for particular people or events associated with the war. For example, the flag of the Lone Star State may represent Lyndon B. Johnson, a Texas native who was president during the worst years of the war, while the warning sign over the woman’s body probably refers to the extensive use of dangerous chemicals such as napalm.