b. 1889 d. 1975
Site Affiliation: Thomas Hart Benton Home & Studio State Historic Site
Born in Neosho, Missouri in 1889, Benton pursued art instruction in Chicago and Paris and then moved in New York City where he lived and taught until 1935. Benton had a gift for painting everyday life and rose to fame during the Great Depression. He moved to Kansas City in 1935 where he remained until his death in 1975.
Primary Medium: Painting
Primary Stylistic Term: Regionalism, American Scene
Fun Fact: Benton knew the renowned American architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. They participated in a debate about art and architecture in the early 1930s and in 1939, Wright was in Kansas City building a house right next to the home Benton had just purchased (the current historic site). Wright said Benton should tear down the old carriage house he was using as his studio and let him design a new space. Benton reportedly stated he would let Wright build him a studio if he could ever design a building without a leaky roof.
HAHS Affiliations: Benton was a teacher and friend of Jackson Pollock.
Recommended Reading: Tom and Jack: The Intertwined Lives of Thomas Hart Benton and Jackson Pollock by Henry Adams (2009); Thomas Hart Benton: An American Original by Henry Adams (1989); An Artist in America: Thomas Hart Benton 4th Revised Edition, Volume 1 (1983)