What, exactly, defines America? It’s a question that’s been asked for more than two centuries, and it’s one not likely to be conclusively answered anytime soon. But, with the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding fast approaching, we took the occasion to hash out a response to that query, using art as a guide.
Together, the editors of ARTnews and Art in America have constructed a list of the 100 best artworks about America. This is not a list of the best artworks by Americans, to be clear. (More here on why we didn’t go that route.) Instead, it’s a list of the best artworks responding to American identity and all the issues that attend it.
Spanning the years preceding the founding of the United States in 1776 to our tense present, this list features paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, videos, films, and even a digital artwork that contend with a spread of issues. These works bear witness to centuries of American history and change, and they point the way forward for artists in the years to come.
Below, a look at the 100 greatest works about America, as selected by the editors of ARTnews and Art in America.
