Spring Storm

Thomas Hart Benton was at the forefront of Regionalist art movement. Benton's paintings portrayed a fluid motion to both landscape and sculpted figures, capturing every day scenes in his North American visual narratives. Benton was born on 1889 in Neosho, Missouri, and spent much of his adolescence in this state. These Midwestern roots can be seen strongly within the context of his work. Benton studied both within the United States, attending the The School of The Art Institute of Chicago, and later he traveled abroad to France, studying at the Académie Julian in Paris. Benton lived in multiple areas of the United States during his life, but settled in Kansas City, Missouri where he briefly taught at the Kansas City Art Institute. Benton died in 1975 at work in his studio, as he completed his final mural, The Sources of Country Music, for the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee. "Spring Storm" is a turbulent scene across an open plain landscape. The horizon is menacing with purple hazed clouds forming a funnel, typifying tornadic weather. A streak of lightening flashes through the right area of the sky, landing almost center of the work. Fluid grassy plains appears relatively calm compared to the threatening sky above. A winding path adds to the serenity of the lower landscape, as a loan branch arcs over the scene. As the landscape is in contrast to the scene above, a horse appears quite aware of the looming danger as it is captured running, and looking at the chaos overhead.
Spring Storm
Inventory
Collection Number
17407
Building
Current Location
Annex: B306
Description
Details
Reproduction print of Thomas Hart Benton's work Spring Storm.
Framed
Yes
 - Plexi
Width
1 inch
Height
25 1/2 inches
Length
34 inches
Donor
Library Owns
No
Permissions
Reproduce the Work in Library publications/publicity, including film or videotape
Yes
Reproduce
Library has Photography Rights
Yes
Photograph
Permit the general public to photograph the work
Yes
Slides/Video