A creative contrarian ; Thomas Hart Benton's raw celebration of the common man revealed in new show.

From: Columbia Daily Tribune | Date: April 13, 2008 | Copyright information

Thomas Hart Benton is one of Missouri's favorite sons.

But in the 1930s, when the famous artist was coming into his own as a champion of ordinary people, Benton was the black sheep of the family. His drawings and paintings of landscapes and people at work in farms, factories and cities made some folks uncomfortable with their seemingly raw representation of a less-celebrated side of American life. His style of painting made common people into heroes.

Benton was among the most fam...

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