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. His 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, where he was born and 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
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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
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Information from Getty’s Union List of Artist Names ® (ULAN), made available under the ODC Attribution License