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Rex Clawson, Mr. and Mrs. America, 1969, enamel on wood, 20 x 23 7⁄8 in. (50.8 x 60.7 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
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Artwork Details
- Title
- Mr. and Mrs. America
- Artist
- Date
- 1969
- Location
- Dimensions
- 20 x 23 7⁄8 in. (50.8 x 60.7 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
- Subjects
- 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.