Thomas Hart Benton Missouri Heritage Trail

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This historical marker shares the history of artist Thomas Hart Benton who was born in Neosho in 1889 and lived in the area through his teenage years. He came from an influential family and was the son of a congressman. The Neosho’s Most Outstanding Citizens Pathway has multiple plaques honoring famous people from Neosho, such as George Washington Carver. The short trail is publically accessible and north of Big Spring Park.

2. "Joplin at the Turn of the Century"

Thomas Hart Benton completed his final mural in Missouri in 1972. Originally located in the old Municipal Building, Joplin at the Turn of the Century marked his first return to the town in nearly 70 years. The scene depicts the people of his home region as he remembered them from his childhood. In addition to his usual preparations, Benton used photographs and local rocks to get every element correct. The mural now hangs in City Hall. Visitors can see the painting and the Evolution of a Mural exhibit during business hours.

3. Thomas Hart Benton's Works at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art holds 143 works by Thomas Hart Benton, and as of May 2022, seven of these works are on public display. These pieces range from a traditional 1913 painting and a bronze bust to some of his latest and most famous artworks. These pieces represent many of Benton’s main subjects. Rural life, Black men, industry, and nudity all take center stage. Across the street from where he used to teach, visitors can view Benton’s works next to those of his contemporaries. This context highlights the experimental and traditional elements of his work. Portrait of the Artist’s Sister (Mildred) is on view in Gallery 217. Six other pieces are in Gallery 220: Hollywood, Crapshooters, Persephone, Persephone (study), The Benton Farm, and Bust of Rita.

4. Thomas Hart Benton Statue at the Kansas City Art Institute

In 1988, the Kansas City Art Institute dedicated this bronze statue of one of its former teachers, Thomas Hart Benton, along the sidewalk leading up to the Jannes Library. The building was once the Cunningham Estate, and Benton appears to be walking towards the historic building as he carries a sketchbook and other supplies and uses a walking stick to trek up the slight hill. The artist’s close friend Charles Banks Wilson crafted the life-size figure out of bronze. This statue permanently marks the relationship between the artist and the school.

5. Thomas Hart Benton Home and Studio

Constructed in 1903, this Kansas City estate was home to Thomas Hart Benton from 1939 until he died in 1975. Benton was one of Missouri’s most famous artists and a leading figure in the Regionalism movement of the 1930s. Benton championed the common working-class American in his work. He often used vibrant colors to paint strong-bodied people at work in rural or industrial scenes. Benton is especially well-known for his history murals in Missouri’s state capitol building and the Harry S. Truman Library & Museum in Independence. Benton’s home and studio opened to the public as a museum in 1983.

6. "Achelous and Hercules"

The Kansas City Public Library has a copy of Thomas Hart Benton’s Achelous and Hercules on the first floor of the Central Library near the Genevieve Guldner Gallery. The original mural hung in Harzfield’s department store on Petticoat Lane in Kanas City, Missouri, from 1947 to 1984. Benton’s Regionalist focus and signature style continue in this painting. He celebrates the wealth Kansas City was finding after World War II.

7. "Independence and the Opening of the West"

One of Thomas Hart Benton’s largest murals is Independence and the Opening of the West at the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum. Created between 1959 and 1962, this work depicts Independence, Missouri, in the mid-1800s. Benton once again took painstaking care in planning the wall. The idealized picture of the Old West shows the myths many American artists used in their work. Visitors can see the mural in the museum’s original lobby during business hours.

8. "A Social History of the State of Missouri"

In 1936, Thomas Hart Benton finished A Social History of the State of Missouri which is on display at the state capitol in Jefferson City. State senator Ed Barbour convinced the Missouri legislature to commission the artist to produce this work, with panels that depict diverse groups of Missouri residents including enslaved persons, industrial workers, farmers, and even members of Jesse James’ gang. The work is notable for including parts of the state’s history that were usually not included in the murals that were commissioned at this time which usually focused on boosterism and selective interpretations. Visitors can schedule tours of the capitol building, but they may see the mural only on certain days. Images of the work can be seen in the links below along with the Google Streetview image within this entry.

This Tour is a Thematic Tour or Heritage Trail.

Thomas Hart Benton Missouri Heritage Trail

Created by Emily Van Cleave on May 11th 2022, 7:19:48 am.

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This heritage trail celebrates Thomas Hart Benton, perhaps the most well-known painter from Missouri. The tour will take you across Kansas City and Western Missouri to see select artwork and related sites. This artist used his work to showcase rural and Midwestern life. Learn about some of his most famous works and the reasons behind his stylistic choices. Highlights include a trip to The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art to see seven artworks, including "Hollywood" and "Persephone," and a look into the meaning behind the mural "A Social History of the State of Missouri" in the Jefferson City capitol building.

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Thomas Hart Benton Missouri Heritage Trail

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