May 31, 2015 thomas hart benton was already 14 in 1903, when the great train robbery flickered onto screens, but he was still impressionable enough to become part of the first generation of american. Politics students rally to remove a thomas hart benton mural depicting the kkk at indiana university. Save this collection of the best iphone backgrounds and download all the images for free. Thomas hart benton, one of the leaders of the regionalist movement in american. Thomas hart benton was born on april 15, 1889 in neosho, missouri, usa. Thomas hart benton creates his famous achelous and hercules mural for nowdefunct harzfelds department store in kansas city, 1947. The bicyclers, circa 196061, acrylic polymer emulsion on canvas mounted on panel, 30 x 40 inches, is a welldocumented example of bentons work that is reproduced in the monograph by matthew baigell, thomas hart benton, harry n. Oct 31, 2014 thomas hart benton creates his famous achelous and hercules mural for nowdefunct harzfelds department store in kansas city, 1947. His work is strongly associated with the midwestern united states, the region in which he. A curious contradiction sits at the center of the nelsonatkins museum of arts recent exhibit, american epics.
A native of the american midwest, benton made paintings and drawings depicting the realities of agrarian life and the pressures of. Thomas hart benton artwork for sale surovek gallery. A member of the democratic party, he was an architect and champion of westward expansion by the united states, a cause that became known as manifest destiny. She moved to new york with her parents as a young girl. Thomas hart benton was one of americas most popular and heavily patronized modern artists during the decades leading up to world war ii, and his murals were especially acclaimed. The series provided the artist with the second most complex project of his emerging career. Thomas hart benton, american writer and democratic party leader who championed agrarian interests and westward expansion during his 30year tenure as a senator from missouri. Thomas hart benton, headandshoulders portrait, facing. The story behind thomas hart bentons incredible masterwork. Find an indepth biography, exhibitions, original artworks for sale, the latest news, and sold auction prices. Thomas hart benton was already 14 in 1903, when the great train robbery flickered onto screens, but he was still impressionable enough to.
Along with other painters such as grant wood and john steuart curry, benton took his deepest inspiration from the imagery of daily life in the midwestern united states. Thomas hart benton and hollywood explored, for the first time, how bentons early involvement with moviemaking affected his art and career. The mural is now preserved at the smithsonian institution. For the year 1953 they chose this image originally created in 1944 which shows the residents of a rural community filing into church, evoking. Thomas hart benton 18891975 the music lesson 1943, fath 60 lithograph, signed in pencil lower right.
See more ideas about american art, art and art thomas. His slightly earlier new school murals portrayed america at work while the arts of life described america at play. Thomas hart benton 18891975 chronicled the beauty, joys and sorrows of everyday life in america, until the day he died. Politics world business tech health time health entertainment science newsfeed living sports history the time vault magazine ideas time labs. Born in neosho, missouri, thomas hart benton benton found great success in the late 1920s and 1930s as one of the countrys foremost proponents of the regionalist movement. Jun 15, 2010 thomas hart benton 18891975 painted the arts of life in america 1932 during the depths of the great depression. Throughout the exhibit, kansas city native thomas hart bentons works invite viewers to reconsider elements of the american narrative from a different point of view. Thomas hart bentons most popular book is an artist in america. Thomas hart benton has 141 books on goodreads with 976 ratings. Born in neosho, missouri, in 1889, thomas hart benton began his art education at age sixteen in the art institute of chicago and at age nineteen studied in the latin quarter of paris. January february march april may june july august september october november december and january february march april may june july august september october november december retrieve. By the early 1930s, benton was the leader of the regionalist movement, which. Politics world business tech health time health entertainment science newsfeed living sports history the time vault magazine ideas time labs photography videos the goods press room the 100 most influential people next generation leaders person of the year top of the world. Along with grant wood and john steuart curry, he was at the forefront of the regionalist art movement.
The son of a member of congress, benton worked as a cartoonist for the joplin missouri american in 1906 and then studied at the art institute of chicago. An american artist has one of his best shows, newsweek, december 3, 1951 havoc stirs an artist, the kansas city star, october 14, 1952 an artist hits at lagging flood relief, the kansas city star, october 14, 1951 artist asking congress to aid flood victims, the new york times, october 15, 1951 the representative picks up some valuable trash, the kansas. Joan stahl american artists in photographic portraits from the peter a. The benton home was a center of creative and cultural activity. Thomas hart benton depicted a selfreliant america emerging from the depression. Jan 18, 2016 a curious contradiction sits at the center of the nelsonatkins museum of arts recent exhibit, american epics. See available prints and multiples, works on paper, and paintings for sale and learn about the artist. Thomas hart benton, born march 14, 1782, in hillsboro, north carolina, was one of the most colorful statesmen of the 19th century. Thomas hart benton saw the legend as a parable of his beloved midwest. Thomas hart benton smithsonian american art museum. It is owned by the artists daughter, jessie benton and i have fond memories of how wonderful it looked hanging over her. Thomas piacenza benton, son of the worldrenowned artist thomas hart benton, died at his home in acton on feb. He is known for his work on the united states steel hour 1953, night descends on treasure island 1940 and they drew fire 2000. Ken burns traces the pioneering artists turbulent career in this bittersweet portrait, highlighting the fierce.
Thomas hart benton was an american artist whose paintings, lithographs, and murals contributed to the regionalist movement. Benton studied for years in paris and new york city during the 1920s when he would become. One of the central artists associated with the american regionalism movement, thomas hart benton strayed from the modernist trend toward abstraction in favor of a more representational, though stylized, approach. Thomas hart benton was born in neosho, mo in 1889, the great, great nephew and namesake of missouris first senator. The arts of life in america new britain museum of american art. Thomas hart benton, headandshoulders portrait, facing front. Mar 14, 2017 thomas hart benton 18891970s thomas hart benton, painter and a leader of the regionalist movement in american art during the 1930s, was born in neosho, mo on april 15, 1889. Thomas hart benton the music lesson with images thomas. He was elected to the national academy of design, has illustrated many books, wrote and twice appended his autobiography and is the subject of thomas hart benton, a documentary by ken burns. He studied at the art institute of chicago, and in paris, where he was exposed to a variety of techniques and theories of art.
His largescale works functioned as commentaries on societal injustices. Thomas hart benton april 15, 1889 january 19, 1975 was an american painter and. Benton was a southern slaveholder who believed and said that slavery was an evil that would eventually collapse. Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app. Dispute roils estate of prominent american artist wsj. Thomas hart benton 18891975 is an artist born in 1889 the oldest auction result ever registered on the website for an artwork by this artist is a painting sold in 1983, at sothebys, and the most recent auction result is a printmultiple sold in 2020. His family migrated to tennessee, where his father died. The army corps of engineers had begun efforts to control the missouri river, and benton imagined a future when the waterway was tamed, and the earth swelled with robust harvests. Missouri native thomas hart benton painted america today to adorn a.
Thomas hart benton 18891975 benton fits the familiar mold of jack london, john steinbeck, ernest hemingwaythe roughneck artist, the temperamental genius disguised as a joe. View thomas hart benton s 3,974 artworks on artnet. The fluid, sculpted figures in his paintings showed everyday people in scenes of life in the united states. Throughout the exhibit, kansas city native thomas hart benton s works invite viewers to reconsider elements of the american narrative from a different point of view. Returning to america to become a child controversy, benton enjoyed one of the most dramatic and interesting careers in american art. They married february 14, 1922 in manhattan, new york. This is a really excellent biography of senator thomas hart benton of missouri one of the giants of american politics in the precivil war era. As a young man, benton was left in charge of considerable land holdings. Political leaders, artists, writers, architects and poets flowed through the bentons family life, influencing the family and, in turn, were enriched by their contact with thomas hart benton.
He attended the university of north carolina briefly in 1798. Benton was a member philanthropic society but was kicked out for stealing money from its members and left school in. Oct 31, 2017 politics students rally to remove a thomas hart benton mural depicting the kkk at indiana university. She was an art student there when she met thomas hart benton, her instructor. Benton served in the senate from 1821 to 1851, becoming the first member of that body to serve five terms. Along with john steuart curry and grant wood, benton captured rural american life during the 1920s and 1930s. Thomas hart benton was a senator and representative from missouri, born near hillsborough north carolina. Born in missouri at the end of the nineteenth century, thomas hart benton. Books by thomas hart benton author of an artist in america. Returning to america to become a child controversy, benton enjoyed one of the most dramatic and interesting careers in. Thomas hart benton 18891975 painted the arts of life in america 1932 during the depths of the great depression. Students rally to remove a thomas hart benton mural depicting.
Ken burns tells the bittersweet story of an extraordinary american artist who became emblematic of the price all. Neosho newton county, missouri, united states thomas hart benton was a famous painter and muralist who was born in neosho, missouri on april 15, 1889. Thomas hart benton april 15, 1889 january 19, 1975 was an american painter and muralist. But beneath the denim and swagger, there lurks something else. Thomas hart benton march 14, 1782 april 10, 1858, nicknamed old bullion, was a united states senator from missouri. Thomas hart benton home and studio missouri state historic site. Interest in thomas hart benton is on the upswing with the installation of his most famous mural at a major museum. Benton also became renowned for his mural cycles such as america today 19301931, the metropolitan museum of art that also evoke the immersive environment of the movie theater. A native of the american midwest, benton made paintings and drawings depicting the realities of agrarian life and the pressures of industrialization. He died on january 19, 1975 in kansas city, missouri. Learn more about bentons life and career, including his position on various political issues. Thomas hart benton 17821858 wikitree free family tree. The thomas hart benton group is a volunteer organization with members in the greater kansas city area and northwestern missouri. He insisted that slavery should not be extended beyond its 1820 limits.
Bentons work can be found at the met, the smithsonian, the truman library and many other museums and galleries across the u. See more ideas about artist, thomas hart benton paintings and art thomas. Expedia has more than 640,000 properties to browse but we make it easy with advanced search functionality. His fluid, sculpted figures in his paintings showed everyday people in scenes of life in the united states. Well known for his murals and portraits depicting everyday life, particularly in the midwest, benton authored two autobiographies, an artist in america 1937 and an american in art 1969. Along with grant wood and john steuart curry, benton gained artistic fame as a regionalist painter, depicting the people and culture of the american midwest, in.
Bentons mythic scene also touched on the most compelling events of the late 1940s. Thomas hart benton paintings for sale heritage auctions. An american original thomas hart benton 18891975 was an artist whose images express his deepest feelings about american life and history, about love family and religion. He was intensely ambitious and wanted to create murals that would. Benton was born in 1889 in neosho, missouri, the oldest of four children. He eventually became one of americas most famous artists of the 20th century. Thomas hart benton, born march 14, 1782, near hillsborough, north carolina, u. Apr 11, 2020 thomas hart benton, one of the foremost painters and muralists associated with the american regionalists of the 1930s. Thomas hart benton, headandshoulders portrait, facing front summary democratic senator from missouri, 18211851. Each year, thomas hart benton and his wife ann would create a personal and seasonal illustrated greeting for their friends and family, which would be sent off in lieu of a traditional christmas card. An american scene painter who, along with john steuart curry and grant wood, was a leading regionalist painter of the 1930s. Edition 250 as published by associated american artis. Rita piacenza benton 18961975 find a grave memorial.
One of americas bestknown, leastunderstood painters was thomas hart benton. The mural is an homage to the indiana press for breaking the klans grip on power in the state. Benton s mythic scene also touched on the most compelling events of the late 1940s. He married rita piacenza, an italian immigrant in 1920 and remained with her until.