Tractor Study for “America Today” Murals (Midwest panel)

This work is a preparatory sketch for America Today—a ten paneled mural often cited as Thomas Hart Benton’s most accomplished work and a well-regarded example of his engagement with Regionalism, Social Realism, and American Scene painting. Each of the panels that comprise the room-sized mural depicts a particular aspect of American life in the 1920s. This sketch is a small rendering of a tractor found in the mural panel devoted to the Midwest—a region of particular interest to Benton, who was born in Missouri and later studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Benton had an enduring dedication to representing the realities of life for people of varying social classes across the United States but was especially attentive to the working class in rural areas. Agricultural equipment and vehicles, like this tractor, are just some of the many mechanical tools depicted by the artist.