Picnic
Artist
Thomas Hart Benton
(American, 1889-1975)
Date1944
MediumTempera on board
DimensionsOverall, Frame: 43 3/4 x 32 3/4 in. (111.1 x 83.2 cm)
ClassificationsAmerican art
Credit LinePromised gift of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Batten
Object numberL2010.1.9
On View
On viewLabel TextThomas Hart Benton American, 1889–1975 Picnic, 1944 Tempera on board Thomas Hart Benton excelled at storytelling in both public murals and private works like Picnic. Here, dark details disrupt a young couple’s leisurely outdoor lunch. Wild branches seem to reach out and block their path, while thorns snag the woman’s dress and hair. Benton’s stories of everyday life in the American heartland often contain anxiety, violence, and tragedy, perhaps echoes of weighty national concerns like World War II. Promised gift of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Batten
Lt. Thomas Mervyn Bouchier Marshall
ca. 1850-55