Reviews (2)

H.W. Janson is Dead
Finally. Awell thought out and well executed book about a major movement in American art that is often dismissed as being one dimensional. Dennis' introspective look into themost revered "Regionalist" artists not only offers engagingscholarship, but a very good education in American social history as well. A must read for anyone who thinks they know what "Regionalism" is.

A need to rethink the 'Regionalism' of the Regionalists
This book makes you rethink any ideas you might have about Regionalism. Whether you agree with James Dennis or not is up to you, but he certainlydoes bring up some very interesting ideas.The basic ideas of theRegionalism school are initially laid out for the reader, and from thisbeginning it is already possible to see the weak foundation of the verydefinition of "Regionalism," as it was defined NOT by theartists, but by their critics and the public.The sterotyping generalitiesinherent in this 'school' set the stage for Dennis' questioning of thesimilarities of the work of Thomas Hart Benton, Grant Wood, and JohnSteurat Curry, the triumvirate of Regionalism. The author proceeds toexplicate the inherent differences between the 3 artists' work, as well asthe eventually obvious flawed general definition of"Regionalism." Dennis breaks down his discussions into realismvs. abstraction, realistic subject matter vs. fantasies, the ideas ofnationalism and fascism in the artists' work, their varying depictions ofwomen, and finally compares the three Regionalists to three contemporarymodernists, Charles Demuth, Charles Sheeler, and Marsden Hartley. Dennisconcludes with the assertion that the so-called "Regionalists"are in many ways more "modern" than their modernistscontemporaries. The book has plenty of pictures, sadly only in black andwhite, and thus the book is a surprisingly quick read. Each chapter isthorough however, and must be studied to be fully understood. The readershould have some art historical background, and some knowledge of thehistory of the first half of the 20th century. I would highly recommendthis book to anyone who is interested in Regionalism, and the history ofAmerican art.Makes you think. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Art, American    5. History - General    6. Individual Artist    7. Modernism (Art)    8. Regionalism in art    9. United States    10. Art / History / General    11. History of art & design styles: from c 1900 -    12. Individual artists    13. Painting & paintings    14. USA   

Subjects:  1. 1889-1975    2. Architecture    3. Art    4. Benton, Thomas Hart    5. Benton, Thomas Hart,    6. Exhibitions    7. General    8. Individual Artist    9. Drawing & drawings    10. Individual artists    11. Painting & paintings   

Subjects:  1. 1889-1975    2. American - General    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Artists, Architects, Photographers    5. Benton, Thomas Hart,    6. Biography & Autobiography    7. Biography/Autobiography    8. Exhibitions    9. In art    10. Individual Artist    11. Regionalism in art    12. Southern States    13. Art / Individual Artist    14. Benton, Thomas Hart    15. Biography: general    16. Drawing & drawings    17. Individual artists    18. Painting & paintings    19. USA   

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. General    3. History - General    4. 20th century    5. Benton, Thomas Hart    6. History of art & design styles: from c 1900 -    7. Individual artists    8. Non-Classifiable    9. USA    10. c 1800 to c 1900   

Subjects:  1. 1889-1975    2. Art    3. Art and society    4. Benton, Thomas Hart,    5. Drawing - General    6. Photography    7. Wood, Grant   

Reviews (1)

A Great Work From a Great Painter
Tom Benton could have been a great writer if he hadn't have made such an important name for himself as a Regionialist painter. This book describes, in a passionate honesty, Benton's beliefs on Art and life. Anyone who wantsto learn more about the man behind the irrascible myth should read thisbook! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1889-1975    2. Benton, Thomas Hart,    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. General    8. Painters    9. United States   

Subjects:  1. 1889-1975    2. 1889-1975.    3. American - General    4. Art    5. Art & Art Instruction    6. Benton, Thomas Hart,    7. Bloomington    8. Criticism and interpretation    9. Indiana    10. Individual Artist    11. Individual Painters - 20th Century    12. Mural painting and decoration,    13. Mural painting and decoration, American    14. Social history of the State of    15. Social history of the State of Indiana    16. United States - General   

Subjects:  1. 1889-1975    2. 20th century    3. Art, American    4. Artists    5. Benton, Thomas Hart,    6. Biography    7. Biography/Autobiography    8. Exhibitions    9. Influence    10. United States    11. Benton, Thomas Hart   

Subjects:  1. Art & Art Instruction    2. Graphic Arts - General    3. Benton, Thomas Hart    4. Exhibitions   

Subjects:  1. 1889-1975    2. 1897-1946    3. 20th Century Art    4. Benton, Thomas Hart,    5. Bibliography    6. Curry, John Steuart,    7. Regionalism in art    8. United States    9. Benton, Thomas Hart    10. Curry, John Steuart    11. History of art & design styles: from c 1900 -    12. Wood, Grant   

Subjects:  1. 1889-1975    2. 20th century    3. Abstract expressionism    4. Art    5. Art & Art Instruction    6. Benton, Thomas Hart,    7. Criticism and interpretation    8. History    9. History - General    10. Individual Painters - 20th Century    11. Modernism (Art)    12. Political aspects    13. Reference    14. Regionalism in art    15. United States    16. Art / History / General    17. Benton, Thomas Hart    18. Cultural studies    19. History of art & design styles: from c 1900 -    20. Pollock, Jackson    21. USA   

Reviews (1)

For Serious Benton Fans
This book, although currently out of print, is a must have for anyone interested in the lithographs of Thomas Hart Benton. It catalogues the works and has additional comments by the artist himself on each work. Goodluck finding a copy. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Art    3. General    4. Lithography    5. Art techniques & materials    6. Planographic processes (eg lithography, screen printing, stencilling)   

Subjects:  1. 1889-1975    2. Artists    3. Benton, Thomas Hart,    4. Biography   

Subjects:  1. 1889-1975    2. Benton, Thomas Hart,    3. Biography    4. Painters    5. United States   

Subjects:  1. Art   

Subjects:  1. 1889-1975    2. Art and society    3. Benton, Thomas Hart,    4. Drawing    5. Gardening / Horticulture    6. General    7. Individual Painters - 20th Century    8. Wood, Grant    9. Benton, Thomas Hart    10. Drawing & drawings    11. History of art & design styles: from c 1900 -    12. Individual artists   

Subjects:  1. 1889-1975    2. 1889-1975.    3. Benton, Thomas Hart,    4. Criticism and interpretation    5. Individual Painters - 20th Century    6. Missouri in art    7. Missouri mural    8. Benton, Thomas Hart   

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