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| Persephone, 1938-39, Thomas Hart Benton |
Of course I couldn't visit Kansas City, without seeing some of the fabulous artwork of one of my favorite artists, Thomas Hart Benton. (click on his name for a previous post) Nelson-Adkins is home to his famous masterpiece, Persephone, 1938-39, his recast of the Greek myth in a rural setting, where a farm girl, representing Persephone, is caught sunbathing by a lustful aging farmer, depicting Hades. The funny thing is, although it is said Benton used a model, the farmer
looks strikingly like Benton, himself. The pose of the farm girl evokes the pin-up girls of the time period. I snapped the above pic of my daughter with the painting when we visited the museum last Friday.
stumbled upon your blog....it's nice!!
ReplyDeletefeel free to visit/comment on mine as well...
Todd
http://toddgourley.blogspot.com/
Nice to have you back Willow. The photo of your daughter looking at the Persephone painting helps put it in scale.
ReplyDeleteHmmm... So have they "gone about as fer as they can go?"
ReplyDeleteIt's worth pondering that Benton was Jackson Pollock's teacher. Knowing that, nobody can ever say that Pollock painted the way he did because he didn't have a grasp of the basic principles; nobody who didn't already have that (and Pollock's work at that time shows a very firm grasp indeed) would have been taken on as a student by Benton.
Welcome back Willow!
ReplyDeleteHey, yes, she does look like a pin-up girl! Nice to have you back. I can't wait to read all about Kansas. Did you bring Dorothy with you, too ;-)?
ReplyDeleteGreetings from London.
The Country Club Plaza is a beautiful place. The fountains, the awesome stores. And it's gorgeous at Christmas.
ReplyDeleteCool. I have a book of photos by Alfred Eisenstadt and there's a photo of Thomas Hart Benton painting this very picture.
ReplyDeleteFound it on Flickr to share. Here it is
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2376/2232315032_b36fa5c73b.jpg?v=0
Glad to see you back, & glad you had a nice trip. I also like Benton's work.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back,
ReplyDeleteYour dreams were your ticket out.
Welcome back,
To that same old place that you laughed about.
Well the names have all changed since you hung around,
But those dreams have remained and they're turned around.
Who'd have thought they'd lead ya (Who'd have thought they'd lead ya)
Here where we need ya (Here where we need ya)
Yeah we tease him a lot cause we've hot him on the spot, welcome back,
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.
I learned a thing or two by reading your posts, and then the comments left by your visitors. I had no idea that Benton was Pollock's teacher. Artists keep reinventing the way they portray the world.
ReplyDelete"Back from Kansas" has a certain tonal inspiration!
glad you had a fun trip. Many many yrs ago I lived in Kansas City within walking distances to the Nelso and went their often. My son was born in Kansas City althought he hospital was over the line in Kansas City, Kansas.
ReplyDeleteBenton's model looks like that famous pic of Jane Russell lying in the hay!
ReplyDeletelooks like you and i were traveling at the same time. welcome back!!
ReplyDeleteGreat to get away --- -
ReplyDeleteeven better to return.
Glad to have you back, Willow!
ReplyDeleteWelcome back! Stop by and visit me sometime soon!
ReplyDeleteBest,
David
http://www.globalaroundtown.blogspot.com
I like KC. Friends of our used to live there. Downtown is really nice.
ReplyDeleteGlad you had a good time -- nice to have you back!
That picture was amazing. Welcome back!
ReplyDeleteGlad to have you back...I've never been to Kansas City but it sounds like a great place. Reads like you had the fun of family,good food and art!! I too went on a trip...isn't it hard to leave the blogworld?!
ReplyDeleteFun to travel but there's no place like home.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you had a nice little time away! The museaum looks fab!
ReplyDeleteall i can say is,
ReplyDeletei am glad you are back !!
missed you.
x
No place like home!
ReplyDeletemaybe his own inner demons coming out in his work...glad your trip went well and that you had time for some fun!
ReplyDeleteWelcome home Willow! Looks like you had a fantastic time. And that painting is incredible!
ReplyDeleteJust look at Hades leering...give it up dude she's out of your league...she ain't even in your ballpark...or even playing the same sport.
ReplyDeleteThanks Eskimo Bob I now have John Sebastian stuck in my head!
Peace - Rene
Why was the wizard from OZ?
ReplyDeleteFrom the back your daughter could be my daughter - that same wild hair look...
Happy days
Sounds like you had a wonderful visit. Interesting perspective of your daughter studying the painting, a different angle of showing artwork.
ReplyDeleteYour daughter has the absolute best hair!!
ReplyDeleteI got in trouble a long time ago when someone told me they lived in Kansas City. I joked about Dorothy and Toto.
ReplyDeleteI didn't get actually get in trouble but they looked at me really funny.
I was never good at Geography.
Great shot. Thanks for taking us inside with you.
Hi! Willow,
ReplyDeleteI'am so glad that you had a pleasant trip!...and a nice visit with your family in Kansas City.
The painting entitled Persephone by artist Thomas Hart Benton is beautiful too!
Thanks, for sharing!
DeeDee ;-D
Welcome Back! you've been missed.
ReplyDeleteThey gone about as fur as they can go...lol.
ReplyDeleteWhat a magnificent painting....ty Willow
Great to see you back, Willow.
ReplyDeleteHope you had a grand time.
Glad to see you back - and I love the soundtrack to Oklahoma.
ReplyDeleteI've come back to say that yes, I did read the post and saw the pic of your daughter - why from the back, she is so pretty - but it was the title of the post that of course made me think of 'Oklahoma'
ReplyDeleteI love that in the Clever Pup's picture of Benton he is dressed in shirt tie and dress pants. Artists were such rebels in those days weren't they.
ReplyDeleteOf course men used to put on shirt and tie to go fix the car in the driveway.
Awww ... makes me so homesick! I lived for years on the Plaza, in a building that unfortunately no longer exists. I went to school at the Kansas City Art Institute, right up the street from the Nelson, and worked at UMKC, just down the street from the Nelson.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait for more pics and some stories, too. Where did you have lunch on the Plaza?
Reya, we had a wonderful lunch at Classic Cup Sidewalk Cafe on 47th St. I think it's where that coffee shop used to be in the 70's. You know the one I mean? I can't remember the name.
ReplyDeleteHi Willow,welcome back.Nice pictures.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely day :)
Welcome back and I guess the security at the museum is a lot less stuffy than here in NYC where the NO CAMERA rule is strictly enforced ...
ReplyDeleteGreat to have you back Willow! Wonderful painting.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back! So happy you are back. As always everywhere you go you go straight to art. Kindred soul.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely time you must have had...and having your daughter looking at the painting just brings life to the whole thing! Thank you for taking me along!!
ReplyDeleteWelcome back to you ,I'm back too!
ReplyDeleteThis was a great post! Lots of catching up huh? Had a great time with Vicki! You should have been at dinner! Ghost Tales!!!
Carol
Welcome back, Willow! May-haps a poem about your travels, could be in the works? Would be grand! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Willow,
ReplyDeleteI came here from Sukie's, as I saw your reference to KC.
I'm originally from there and my daughter was also born at Bethany Hospital. Small world!
I'm well familiar with the Nelson of course,what a fabulous place,,, and once upon a time I modeled for art classes at the KC Art Institute. Blogland is so huge, but at times is a very small world.
Very interesting blog is yours!
Oh, my. The story of Persephone is quite fascinating, isn't it (poetry lover that you are, do you know Averno by Louise Gluck?). Interesting too that Benton was Pollock's teacher--it explains much. Off now to check out Clever Pup's link.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, welcome back--and nice new header!
Glad you had such a great time visiting and touring.
ReplyDeleteHey! Did you know I posted a clip of Ado Annie and Will last week? Just the "Everything's up to date"...caught me.
Kat
Well, this is a nice post. I like Thomas Hart Benton for his reality -- better than Grandma Moses but not as good illustrating as my friend, Normal Rockwell. I used to like art galleries and museums but lost interest. Don't know why.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the visit.
Great Header!
ReplyDeleteWelcome back.
ReplyDeleteHi Willow, love the Benton. Love his subtle wink at the classic subject matter. Very mischievous of artist and farmer.
ReplyDeleteGlad you had fun. Welcome back.
One of my favourite galleries. And the sculpture park's a dream.
ReplyDeleteI remember reading that Jackson Pollock was influenced by Benton, and I have to say I don't see it, but I think in his early work, perhaps...I've never seen that particular Benton image. Nice with your daughter, Willow! So glad you got to see her!
ReplyDelete"One of the the girls was fat and pink and pretty....as round above as she was round below..."
ReplyDeleteBenton has an almost El Greco quality in this paintng...at least in the girl's image...I have always liked his farm and "tornado coming" scenes.
Ah, you were in my neck of the woods. I'm so glad you had a good time and got to see some great art in the process.
ReplyDelete