Thomas Hart Benton
- Introduction
- Thomas Hart Benton (April 15, 1889 – January 19, 1975) was an American painter and muralist. Along with Grant Wood and John Steuart Curry, he was at the forefront of the Regionalist art movement. The fluid, sculpted figures in his paintings showed everyday people in scenes of life in the United States. His work is strongly associated with the Midwestern United States, the region in which he was born and which he called home for most of his life. He also studied in Paris, lived in New York City for more than 20 years and painted scores of works there, summered for 50 years on Martha's Vineyard off the New England coast, and also painted scenes of the American South and West.
- Wikidata
- Q471764
- Introduction
- Benton was educated at the Art Institute of Chicago and at the Académie Julian in Paris. While in Paris he met artists such as Diego Rivera and Stanford Macdonald-Wright, who influenced his sensibilities. Benton moved to New York City ca. 1912 where he began exhibiting his works (then reminiscent of Synchromism), and fell under the influence of Marxism. In the early 1920s, his work began exploring American narrative themes utilizing highly stylized figurations and backgrounds. By the 30s, Benton was considered a Regionalist, and had been commissioned to paint the first of many murals, which spawned controversy because of their politics. Benton left New York City in 1935 and continued to paint socially conscious murals until the 1960s. American artist, born Mo. Comment on works: religious, allegory, genre
- Nationality
- American
- Gender
- Male
- Roles
- Artist, Engraver, Lithographer, Muralist, Illustrator, Painter
- Names
- Thomas Hart Benton, Tom Benton, Benton
- Ulan
- 500005998
Exhibitions
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Making Choices
Mar 16–Sep 26, 2000
MoMA
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From Henri Toulouse-Lautrec to Andy Warhol: Exploring Techniques
Sep 18, 1997–Feb 8, 1998
MoMA
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Pastimes in Prints
Jul 22–Sep 28, 1993
MoMA
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American Prints: 1900–1960; Recent Acquisitions: Illustrated Books
Dec 18, 1985–May 20, 1986
MoMA
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Views Over America
Jun 4–Jul 30, 1979
MoMA
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Thomas Hart Benton has
22 exhibitionsonline.
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Thomas Hart Benton Study for Homestead 1928-1930
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Thomas Hart Benton Homestead 1934
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Various Artists, Thomas Hart Benton, John Steuart Curry, William Gropper, Russell Limbach, Charles Locke, Raphael Soyer The American Scene, no. 2 1934–36, published 1936
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Thomas Hart Benton Mine Strike from The American Scene, no. 2 1936
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Thomas Hart Benton In the Ozarks 1938
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Thomas Hart Benton Frisky Day (1939)
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Thomas Hart Benton Spring Tryout (1943)
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Thomas Hart Benton Island Hay (1945)
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Thomas Hart Benton Loading Corn (1945)
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