Watermelons grow big in Iowa
1908
Medium
Photography-Photoprint
Classification
Photography-Photoprint
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Charles Isaacs and Carol Nigro
Accession Number
2002.79.7
Tags
Art Historical Context
"Watermelons Grow Big in Iowa" is a charming 1908 photoprint by W. H. Martin, capturing a slice of rural American life at the turn of the century. Housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum, this depicts a wagon accident on an Iowa farm, with oversized watermelons spilling out, emphasizing the title's playful boast about the region's bountiful produce. The full-length composition draws viewers into the scene, highlighting the everyday drama of farm work and the sheer scale of the harvest. As an early example of documentary photography, Martin's work reflects the era's growing fascination w...