Thomas Hart Benton: A Picture of America in Its Entirety

An exhibit of the works of Thomas Hart Benton (1889-1975) is currently on view at the Schoelkopf Gallery in New York. Thomas Hart Benton: A Picture of America in Its Entirety is the first solo exhibit of Benton’s work in New York in more than a decade.

 

 

Benton’s iconic mural America Today (1930–31) was unveiled at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2014. 

 

The current exhibit includes works that Benton did over the five decades of his career.

 

Benton was born in Neosho, Missouri. He studied art at the Art Institute of Chicago and at the Académie Julian in Paris. He moved to New York in 1912, did a stint in the U.S. Navy during World War l. He taught at the Art Students League in New York from from 1926 to 1935 and then moved back to Missouri, where he taught at the at the Kansas City Art Institute from 1935 to 1941.

 

Benton traveled through the midwest, painting scenes of everyday life in America. His work was so successful that, in 1934, he became the first artist to appear on the cover of Time magazine.

 

The current show includes paintings, rarely seen works and studies for his murals. 

 

 

Thomas Hart Benton: A Picture of America in Its Entirety will be on view at the Schoelkopf Gallery through October 16, 2026.

 

For the last 31 years the Neosho Area Chamber of Commerce in Missouri has sponsored the Annual Thomas Hart Benton Art Competition and Exhibition. “This show was started to honor Neosho’s native son and famed regionalist painter Thomas Hart Benton while giving our area artists the opportunity to show and compete in a professional show,” said Sarah Serio, President of the Neosho Arts Council.”

 

 

A competition was also held for 8-12 year olds and 13-17 year olds. 

 

The works by adult artists are on display at the Neosho Chamber of Commerce offices. The works by the young artists are on view at Neosho National Fish Hatchery.

 

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Please contact us if you would like more information about the works of Thomas Hart Benton available at Surovek Gallery.

 

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September 30, 2026