Christina's World

I was in a book store the other day and overheard a man who was checking out comment on the small print tacked to the wall above the cash register. He had never seen it before and was struck by the woman and the scene. The guy working there flipped the picture up to look at the back and told him it was called Christina's World.

I can't remember the first time I saw this picture. It was painted by Andrew Wyeth in 1948. I don't remember how I came to know of this painter, his work or this painting in particular, but it's likely I saw something by him in a local museum.

I've been wondering what that customer is so familiar with that he'd be surprised to know I'd never heard of it.