Bob Priddy

This book is a very complete account of one work of art -- the controversial mural of the history of Missouri in the House Lounge in the Capitol in Jefferson City and its creator, Thomas Hart Benton. It discusses the politics of Benton's being appointed to create the work, the controversy concerning some specific scenes in the mural, unsuccessful efforts on the part of some politicians to get the mural removed, and the restorations which have had to be done since the mural is in a room which for many years was not air-conditioned or climate controlled. The mural as completed was also controversial since it was a social history of Missouri, emphasizing the common people instead of the political history of achievements of important leaders -- and Benton's style was criticized. The last chapter discusses what the mural means, section by section of the work. That discussion is taken from various written sources including interviews.
Appendices contain two articles by Benton -- one of which gives a history of mural painting, telling how for centuries the content of murals had been controlled by the politicians for whom the works were painted, and how Benton broke away from this control. The last appendix discusses Benton's use of models he made prior to doing paintings.

This is a paperback book, and, unfortunately, the pictures of the mural are much too small to easily see. Moreover, it would have been helpful to have had a photograph of the detail of the event being discussed with the text itself.

The book should have been more carefully edited. There is a fair amount of repetition, and some words are run together. Long quotations are printed in very small type which makes them hard to read.… (mais)