Issued in 1998 as part of the "Four Centuries of American Art" pane, this stamp pays homage to Grant Wood's 1930 masterpiece, "American Gothic." The painting depicts a farmer and his daughter standing before a Carpenter Gothic-style house. The models for the painting were Wood's sister, Nan Wood Graham, and his dentist, Dr. Byron McKeeby. The stamp's issuance brought renewed attention to this iconic work, which has become a symbol of American rural life and values. The painting is housed in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, making the city the geographical touchstone for this stamp. The "Four Centuries of American Art" series was a significant undertaking by the USPS, aiming to educate the public about the nation's artistic heritage. The selection of "American Gothic" for this series was a natural choice, given its immediate recognizability and its status as a cornerstone of American Regionalism. The stamp's design faithfully reproduces the famous painting, allowing a miniature version of this masterpiece to travel on letters across the country and the world.