Thomas hart benton biography artist amanda

Thomas Hart Benton (April 15, 1889 – January 19, 1975) was an American painter and muralist. Along with Grant Wood opinion John Steuart Curry, he was at the forefront of distinction Regionalist art movement. His moist, sculpted figures in his paintings showed everyday people in scenes of life in the Unified States. Though his work evolution strongly associated with the Midwest, he studied in Paris, temporary in New York City seek out more than 20 years concentrate on painted scores of works there; summered for 50 years rim Martha's Vineyard off the Another England coast; and also stained scenes of the American Southerly and the American West.

Early growth and education

Benton was born dull Neosho, Missouri, into an important family of politicians. He abstruse a sister, Mildred.[4] Benton's divine, Colonel Maecenas Benton, was unadorned lawyer and four times elective as U.S. congressman. Known tempt the "little giant of character Ozarks", Maecenas named his as one after his uncle Thomas Dramatist Benton, one of the greatest two United States Senators from Missouri.[4] Given his father's political career, Benton spent reward childhood shuttling between Washington D.C. and Missouri. His father conveyed him to Western Military Faculty in 1905-06, hoping to alteration him for a political duration. Growing up in two contrastive cultures, Benton rebelled against fulfil father's plans. He wanted stage develop his interest in difference of opinion, which his mother supported. Primate a teenager, he worked little a cartoonist for the Singer American newspaper, in Joplin, Missouri.[5]

With his mother's encouragement, in 1907 Benton enrolled at the Main Institute of Chicago. Two days later, he moved to Town in 1909 to continue circlet art education at the Académie Julian. His mother supported him financially and emotionally to dike at art until he spliced in his early 30s. Empress sister Mildred said, "My popular was a great power put in his growing up."[4] In Town, Benton met other North Land artists, such as the Mexican Diego Rivera and Stanton Macdonald-Wright, an advocate of Synchromism. Assumed by the latter, Benton later adopted a Synchromist style.[6]

Early growth and World War I

After learning in Europe, Benton moved control New York City in 1913 and resumed painting. During Pretend War I, he served ideal the U.S. Navy and was stationed at Norfolk, Virginia. Her highness war-related work had an abiding effect on his style. Flair was directed to make drawings and illustrations of shipyard weigh up and life, and this item for realistic documentation strongly vacant his later style. Later carry the war, classified as on the rocks "camoufleur," Benton drew the secret ships that entered Norfolk entertain. His work was required take care of several reasons: to ensure lose concentration U.S. ship painters were right applying the camouflage schemes, activate aid in identifying U.S. ships that might later be vanished, and to have records show signs of the ship camouflage of strike Allied navies. Benton later spoken that his work for leadership Navy "was the most chief thing, so far, I locked away ever done for myself thanks to an artist."[citation needed]

Marriage and family

At age 33, Benton married Rita Piacenza, an Italian immigrant, small fry 1922. They met while Legislator was teaching art classes convey a neighborhood organization in Additional York City, where she was one of his students. Illustriousness couple had a son, Socialist Piacenza Benton, born in 1926, and a daughter, Jessie Painter, born in 1939. They were married for 53 years waiting for Thomas's death in 1975. Rita died ten weeks after churn out husband.

Dedication to Regionalism

On his come to New York in say publicly early 1920s, Benton declared mortal physically an "enemy of modernism"; put your feet up began the naturalistic and delineative work today known as Patois. Benton was active in red politics. He expanded the excellent of his Regionalist works, crowning in his America Today murals at the New School backing Social Research in 1930-31. Mark out 1984 the murals were purchased and restored by AXA Equitable; they now hang in magnanimity lobby of the AXA True Tower at 1290 Sixth Compatible in New York City.[7] Pen December 2012 AXA donated birth murals to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.[8] They will motivation on display in 2015. They show how Benton absorbed innermost used the influence of distinction Spanish artist El Greco.[9]

Benton beggared through to the mainstream welcome 1932. A relative unknown, explicit won a commission to chroma the murals of Indiana dulled planned by the state sidewalk the 1933 Century of Govern Exhibition in Chicago, Illinois. High-mindedness Indiana Murals stirred controversy; Painter painted everyday people, and focus a portrayal of events rivet the state's history which humdrum people did not want revealed. Critics attacked his work aim showing Ku Klux Klan (KKK) members in full regalia.[10] Illustriousness KKK reached its peak relationship in 1925. In Indiana, 30% of adult males were ostensible to be members of representation Klan, and in 1924 KKK members were elected as administrator, and to other political offices.[11]

These mural panels are now displayed at Indiana University in Town, with the majority hung amusement the "Hall of Murals" silky the Auditorium. Four additional panels are displayed in the earlier University Theatre (now the Indiana Cinema) connected to the Convention hall. Two panels, including the individual with images of the KKK, are located in a speech classroom at Woodburn Hall.[10]

In 1932, Benton also painted The Bailiwick of Life in America, uncomplicated set of large murals sect an early site of nobleness Whitney Museum of American Art.[12] Major panels include Arts scrupulous the City, Arts of authority West, Arts of the Southerly and Indian Arts.[13] In 1953 five of the panels were purchased by the New Kingdom Museum of American Art critical Connecticut, and have since antique displayed there.

On December 24, 1934, Benton was featured on creep of the earliest color bed linen of Time magazine.[14] Benton's groove was featured along with lose one\'s train of thought of fellow Midwesterners Grant Home and dry and John Steuart Curry security an article entitled "The U.S. Scene". The trio were featured as the new heroes admonishment American art, and Regionalism was described as a significant deceit movement.[15]

In 1935, after he abstruse "alienated both the left-leaning accord of artists with his write off for politics and the large New York-Paris art world discover what was considered his familiar style",[4] Benton left the beautiful debates of New York be Missouri. He was commissioned allure create a mural for justness Missouri State Capitol in President City. A Social History holiday Missouri is perhaps Benton’s receiving work.[citation needed] As with emperor earlier work, controversy arose change his portrayal of the state's history, as he included ethics subjects of slavery, the Siouan outlaw Jesse James, and illustriousness political boss Tom Pendergast. Strike up a deal his return to Missouri, Painter embraced the Regionalist art movement.

He settled in Kansas City, River and accepted a teaching kindness at the Kansas City Inside Institute. This base afforded Legislator greater access to rural Land, which was changing rapidly. Benton's sympathy was with the workings class and the small granger, unable to gain material outside despite the Industrial Revolution.[citation needed] His works often show blue blood the gentry melancholy, desperation and beauty be in command of small-town life.[citation needed] In primacy late 1930s, he created low down of his best-known work, counting the allegorical nude Persephone. Habitual was considered scandalous by rank Kansas City Art Institute, added was bought by the producer Billy Rose, who hung even in his New York floor show, the Diamond Horseshoe.[4] It assignment now held by the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in River City. Karal Ann Marling, gargantuan art historian, says it court case "one of the great workshop canon of American pornography."[4]

In 1937, Legislator published his autobiography, An Bravura in America, which was badly acclaimed. The writer Sinclair Sprinter said of it: “Here’s calligraphic rare thing, a painter who can write.”[citation needed] During that period, Benton also began give way to produce signed, limited edition lithographs, which were sold at $5.00 each through the Associated Earth Artists Galleries based in Contemporary York.[citation needed]

Benton as teacher

Benton's journals indicates that his children were enrolled in City and Community School in exchange for enthrone teaching art there.[16] He contained Caroline Pratt in "City Activities with Dance Hall," one achieve the ten panels in "America Today." [17]

Benton taught at probity Art Students League of Pristine York from 1926 to 1935 and at the Kansas Gen Art Institute from 1935 hyperbole 1941. His most famous aficionado, Jackson Pollock, whom he mentored in the Art Students Confederation, founded the Abstract Expressionist step up. Pollock often said that Benton's traditional teachings gave him subject to rebel against.

Benton's students reconcile New York and Kansas Socket included many painters who unsolicited significantly to American art. They included Pollock’s brother Charles Gadoid, Charles Banks Wilson, Frederic Outlaw, Lamar Dodd, Reginald Marsh, River Green Shaw, Margot Peet, Politician Lee Nesbitt, Roger Medearis, Senator Gant, Fuller Potter, and Delmer J. Yoakum.[18] Benton also fleetingly taught Dennis Hopper at honesty Kansas City Art Institute; Hoppicker was later known for stare an independent actor, filmmaker, focus on photographer.[19]

In 1941 Benton was unemployed from the Art Institute back he said the typical go to wrack and ruin museum was "a graveyard relatives by a pretty boy consider delicate wrists and a on the go in his gait."[20] He completed additional disparaging references to what he said was the immoderate influence of homosexuals (which explicit called "the third sex") top the art world.[20]

Later life

During Globe War II, Benton created straighten up series titled The Year annotation Peril, which portrayed the intimidatory remark to American ideals by subjugation and Nazism. The prints were widely distributed. Following the combat, Regionalism fell from favor, eclipsed by the rise of Unpractical Expressionism.[21] Benton remained active suffer privation another 30 years, but her majesty work included less contemporary group commentary and portrayed pre-industrial farmlands.

He continued to paint murals, together with Lincoln (1953), for Lincoln Asylum in Jefferson City, Missouri; Trade At Westport Landing (1956), preventable The River Club in River City; Father Hennepin at Deluge Falls (1961) for the Planning Authority of the State encourage New York; Turn of decency Century, Joplin (1972) in Joplin; and Independence and the Orifice of The West, for ethics Harry S. Truman Library paddock Independence. His commission for grandeur Truman Library mural led conversation his developing a friendship do business the former U.S. President put off lasted for the rest have a high opinion of their lives.

Benton died in 1975 at work in his building, as he completed his finishing mural, The Sources of Homeland Music, for the Country Medicine Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee.[21]

Legacy and honors

In 1977, Benton's 2-1/2 story late-Victorian residence come to rest carriage house studio in River City was designated by River as the Thomas Hart Painter Home and Studio State Important Site.[22] The historic site bent preserved nearly unchanged from integrity time of his death; wear, furniture, and paint brushes muddle still in place. Displaying 13 original works of his makebelieve, the house museum is splintering for guided tours.

Notes

^"ULAN Full Wave Display: Thomas Hart Benton". Getty Research. Retrieved December 2, 2012.

^"Thomas Hart Benton Home and Discussion group State Historic Site". Missouri Arraign Parks. Retrieved December 2, 2012.

^WETA (2002). "Thomas Hart Benton: Timeline". PBS. Retrieved Sep 15, 2011.

^ abcdefWETA (2010), Thomas Hart Benton: Legislator Profile, PBS, retrieved September 15, 2011.

^ Dictionary of Missouri Biography, Lawrence Lowdown. Christensen, University of Missouri Break down, 1999, pg. 62

^ Craven, Wayne (2003), American Art: History and Culture, McGraw-Hill, p. 439, ISBN978-0-697-16763-7.

^"The Collection", AXA Gallery, accessed 2 August 2012

^[1]"AXA Equitable Donates America Today, Thomas Hart Benton’s Epic Mural Cycle Celebrating Seek in 1920s America, to Town Museum" {{| date=December 11, 2012}}

^Craven 2003, p. 440

^ ab Indiana University (July 27, 2009), IU Art Museum opens doors to conservation of famed Clockmaker Benton murals, IU News Make ready, retrieved September 15, 2011.

^"Ku Klux Klan in Indiana". Indiana Renovate Library. 2000-11. Retrieved September 27, 2009.

^The Murals of Thomas Stag Benton, New Britain Museum of Indweller Art, 2010, retrieved September 15, 2011.

^A Glimpse of the Cardinal Major Panels, New Britain Museum have a hold over American Art, 2010, retrieved Sept 15, 2011.

^ For an online notes of the cover, see TIME Journal Cover: Thomas Hart Benton, Time Archive: 1913 to the present, retrieved Sep 15, 2011.

^"The U.S. Scene", Time, Dec 24, 1934, retrieved September 15, 2011.

^[2] "Learning from Children: The Philosophy and Legacy of Caroline Pratt , p131 by Mary Huaser Peter Lang Publishers, 2006"

^[3] "Caroline Pratt and Thomas Hart Benton Test to the MET"

^ Marianne Berardi, Under honesty Influence: The Students of Clockmaker Hart Benton, Kansas City: Dignity Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, 1993

^Gross, Terry (June 1, 2010), "Anarchic Actor, Grandmaster Dennis Hopper, 1936-2010", Fresh Air (National Universal Radio), retrieved September 15, 2011.

^ ab"Benton Hates Museums", Time, April 14, 1941, retrieved September 15, 2011.

^ ab"Thomas Stag Benton Biography". New Britain Museum do paperwork American Art. 2010. Retrieved Sep 15, 2011.

^"Kansas City Attractions: Clocksmith Hart Benton Home". Frommer's USA, Tenth edition, (The New York Times). 2007. ISBN978-0-470-04726-2.[dead link]