Thomas Hart Benton

American, 1889 - 1975

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Thomas Hart Benton, Self-Portrait, 1972, lithograph in black on wove paper, Gift of Jerome W. and Dorothy A. Canter, 2013.8.1

Self-Portrait

Thomas Hart Benton · 1972 · lithograph in black on wove paper ·  Accession ID  2013.8.1

From a high vantage point, we look across a valley that rises gently to either side in front of a tall, snowy mountain peak flanked by looming ridges in this horizontal, landscape painting. The curve of the land, the tree branches, and the sinewy lines of the snow along the crevices of the ridges are exaggerated, giving the scene a slightly stylized look. Tiny in scale, three widely spaced horses, two with riders, move from left to right along the valley. The ridge faces are dark earth brown and the snow is pale blue where the sun shines on it, from our right. The face of the narrow, central peak is violet purple, and the sharp tip nearly touches the top edge of the canvas.
Thomas Hart Benton, Trail Riders, 1964-1965, oil on canvas, Gift of the Artist, 1975.42.1

Trail Riders

Thomas Hart Benton · 1964-1965 · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  1975.42.1

Six bunches of harvested corn close to us lead back to two people planting fields, which in turn lead back to a red barn and white house in this horizontal landscape painting. The shocks of corn are tied into rounded, pyramidal shapes on a ground streaked with brown dirt and green growth. In the center of the composition and in the distance, a person on a horse-drawn wagon hands a sack or other object down to a person standing at the back of the wagon. Vibrant green hills roll back to red and white structures to the left and a row of dark green trees on the horizon to the right. In the top third of the painting, a wave of white clouds seems to crest against a jewel-blue sky. The curves of the land are slightly exaggerated, giving the painting a stylized look. The artist signed and dated the painting in the lower left corner, “Benton 48.”
Thomas Hart Benton, Corn and Winter Wheat, 1948, oil on canvas, Gift (Partial and Promised) of Helen Lee Henderson in memory of Helen Ruth Henderson, Founder, HRH Foundation, 2001.122.1

Corn and Winter Wheat

Thomas Hart Benton · 1948 · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  2001.122.1

Thomas Hart Benton, George C. Miller, Associated American Artists, Gateside Conversation, 1946, lithograph in black on wove paper, Corcoran Collection (Bequest of Frank B. Bristow), 2015.19.1098

Gateside Conversation

Thomas Hart Benton, George C. Miller, Associated American Artists · 1946 · lithograph in black on wove paper ·  Accession ID  2015.19.1098

Thomas Hart Benton, George C. Miller, Associated American Artists, After the Blow, 1946 (published 1947), lithograph in black on wove paper, Gift of John Nichols Estabrook and Dorothy Coogan Estabrook, 1987.41.6

After the Blow

Thomas Hart Benton, George C. Miller, Associated American Artists · 1946 (published 1947) · lithograph in black on wove paper ·  Accession ID  1987.41.6

Thomas Hart Benton, George C. Miller, Associated American Artists, Loading Corn, 1945, lithograph in black on wove paper, Gift of John Nichols Estabrook and Dorothy Coogan Estabrook, 1987.41.4

Loading Corn

Thomas Hart Benton, George C. Miller, Associated American Artists · 1945 · lithograph in black on wove paper ·  Accession ID  1987.41.4

Thomas Hart Benton, George C. Miller, Associated American Artists, Island Hay, 1945 (published 1946), lithograph in black on wove paper, Gift of John Nichols Estabrook and Dorothy Coogan Estabrook, 1987.41.5

Island Hay

Thomas Hart Benton, George C. Miller, Associated American Artists · 1945 (published 1946) · lithograph in black on wove paper ·  Accession ID  1987.41.5

Thomas Hart Benton, George C. Miller, Associated American Artists, White Calf, 1945, lithograph in black on wove paper, Gift of John Nichols Estabrook and Dorothy Coogan Estabrook, 1987.41.10

White Calf

Thomas Hart Benton, George C. Miller, Associated American Artists · 1945 · lithograph in black on wove paper ·  Accession ID  1987.41.10

Thomas Hart Benton, George C. Miller, Associated American Artists, Fire in the Barnyard, 1944, lithograph in black on wove paper, Gift of John Nichols Estabrook and Dorothy Coogan Estabrook, 1987.41.7

Fire in the Barnyard

Thomas Hart Benton, George C. Miller, Associated American Artists · 1944 · lithograph in black on wove paper ·  Accession ID  1987.41.7

Thomas Hart Benton, George C. Miller, Associated American Artists, Night Firing, 1943, lithograph in black on wove paper, Gift of John Nichols Estabrook and Dorothy Coogan Estabrook, 1987.41.9

Night Firing

Thomas Hart Benton, George C. Miller, Associated American Artists · 1943 · lithograph in black on wove paper ·  Accession ID  1987.41.9

Bibliography

1975

  • Whitman, Alden. "Thomas Hart Benton is Dead." The New York Times (21 January 1975).

  • The Washington Post (28 February 1975): B9.

1989

  • Adams, Henry. Thomas Hart Benton: An American Original. Exh. cat. The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri, 1989.

  • Hurt, R. Douglas, and Mary K. Davis, eds. Thomas Hart Benton: Artist, Writer, and Intellectual. Columbia, MO, 1989.

2012

  • Wolff, Justin P. Thomas Hart Benton: A Life. New York, 2012.

2015

  • Adams, Henry. Thomas Hart Benton: Discoveries and Interpretations. Columbia, MO, 2015.