Realistic Art of the Great Depression

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I am doing a research question for my art history class, “What is the most influential art?” My research started with the internet. It led me to a bunch of sites, but the one that stood out the most was the Great Depression. I searched some artists and their murals and that led me to Thomas Hart Benton.

I found many works and information on Benton. After reading some background information on him, I knew I wanted to research further. I found Benton to be an interesting and determined man. As a child he loved to draw. His father disapproved of it, but he didn’t let that stop him. When the family moved to Washington D.C., Benton was strongly influenced by the Library of Congress murals and the cartoon figures in the Washington Post.

Thomas studied at the Art Institute of Chicago, then moved to Paris and took art classes there; observing new trends and familiarizing himself. After he spent five years in Paris, he moved back to the United States and started to study on his own. This is where the majority of his work came from. He experimented with different styles of painting and colors. Benton found that he liked to use bright colors and paint real people in real places, doing a variety of activities.

I just found this really interesting because he didn’t let his father stand in the way of his dream. He went out on his own, learning about what he loved and soon took matters into his own hands. He wasn’t afraid to go out into the world and experiment. The majority of his work came as a result. I think his work is really beautiful and captures the real life of the people he painted in a unique way.

Loren

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Filed under Art History, Art and Perception, By Loren, Fall 09 Members