Actor, writer, producer and director Lena Dunham recently traveled to Cushing, Maine, to visit the landscape that inspired one of American art’s most recognizable masterpieces. Best known for the 2010s HBO series “Girls,” Dunham shared a photograph on Instagram on Sunday showing herself and a friend lying in the grass, recreating the posture of Andrew Wyeth’s 1948 painting, “Christina’s World.”
In her social media post, Dunham noted that the trip marked her first time back since attending Fernwood Cove Camp for Girls, an overnight camp located in western Maine. She added that the sprawl in the grass concluded “with a thorough tick check afterwards,” acknowledging a common ritual for anyone spending time outdoors in the region during the warmer months.
Andrew Wyeth lived in Cushing and neighboring towns for three decades, painting scores of local scenes. Among them, “Christina’s World” stands out as his best known painting. The painting depicts his neighbor, Christina Olson, seated on one hip in a grassy field, twisting away from the viewer’s perspective toward her home in the background.
The mysterious image eventually entered the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. While the canvas itself hangs in Manhattan, the physical site that inspired it—the field below the Olson House—has recently been opened to the public, transforming the location into a popular backdrop for reenactments.
Exploring the Legacy of Andrew Wyeth in Cushing
Recreating the sprawling, backward-glancing pose has become a popular tradition among visitors walking the newly accessible fields below the property.
What Comes Next for the Historic Site
What are your thoughts on visiting historic art locations? Have you ever explored the midcoast of Maine? Let us know your perspective and share this story with fellow art and culture fans in the comments below.
