Thomas Hart Benton's
Original Illustrations
For Mark Twain Classics
August 1 will mark the beginning of a new exhibit in the
State Historical Society of Missouri's Art Gallery. Along with
selected works by George Caleb Bingham, which are on permanent
display, the Art Gallery will feature a number of watercolors,
temperas, and pen, brush, and ink drawings executed by Thomas
Hart Benton for the Mark Twain classics, The Adventures of
Tom Sawyer, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Life on the
Mississippi. These Twain volumes were published by The Limited
Edition Club of New York City in 1939, 1942 and 1944, respectively. Besides the works included in this exhibit, which are
taken from the 203 items given to the State Historical Society
by the Neosho-born artist, Benton donated the paintings Negro
Soldier and Embarkation (Prelude to Death). Other Benton paintings owned by the State Historical Society are his "Year of Perir
series, a gift of Abbott Laboratories.
Born on April 15, 1889, Benton spent his early life in Southwest Missouri and Washington, D. C, where his father was a
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