Gordon Parks

Gordon Parks (American, 1912–2006), Washington, D.C. Government Charwoman (American Gothic), July 1942, printed later, gelatin silver print, image/sheet: 110.7 × 81 cm (43 9/16 × 31 7/8 in.), National Gallery of Art, Corcoran Collection (The Gordon Parks Collection, 1998), 2016.117.104

This sepia-toned photograph shows a woman from the waist up, facing us. She has dark skin and short, neatly styled hair. She wears round glasses and is dressed in a polka-dotted dress with short sleeves and a buttoned front. Her expression is neutral as she looks towards us, the corners of her lips slightly turned down. She stands partially behind a large broom on the left side of the image, its fibers facing upwards. The background consists of an American flag hanging vertically on a white wall, with its stripes and stars prominently visible. On the right side of the image, a mop can be seen in the background, leaning against a surface.