This text investigates how the shifting definitions of American identity are reflected through the production, consumption, and dissemination of art from the 1890s to the present. Erika Doss, a scholar of American art and visual culture, utilizes a thematic framework to analyze how artistic movements intersect with the nation's evolving economic, political, and social landscapes. By focusing on the interplay between modernism, migration, and mobility, the author provides a comprehensive lens through which to view the development of American visual culture over more than a century.

Scholars and educators frequently cite this work as a comprehensive survey that successfully integrates theoretical analysis with historical breadth. It is widely regarded as a standard text for understanding the complex relationship between American art and the broader cultural forces that shape it.