Benton's finished work was met with some criticism at first, with some politicians vowing to have it painted over since it depicted some of the uglier scenes in our state. Such include slavery, a bare-bottomed baby being cleaned, Jesse James robbing a train, a barroom brawl in Kansas City, drunkards, graphic butcher scenes, and more. But that's all a part of history. History is a constant struggle between good and evil, and remembering it helps us continue down the path of good. Do we wish our state prosperous? Then we had better understand what makes us poor. Do we wish our state peace? Then we need to understand the things that bring war.
As stated on the plaque outside the House Lounge in the state Capitol, the Thomas Hart Benton Murals depict "a social history of the state of Missouri". The artist featured on the walls of this magnificent room was a Southwest Missouri boy and has art in the City Council building on Main Street in Joplin, as well. Benton's finished work was met with some criticism at first, with some politicians vowing to have it painted over since it depicted some of the uglier scenes in our state. Such include slavery, a bare-bottomed baby being cleaned, Jesse James robbing a train, a barroom brawl in Kansas City, drunkards, graphic butcher scenes, and more. But that's all a part of history. History is a constant struggle between good and evil, and remembering it helps us continue down the path of good. Do we wish our state prosperous? Then we had better understand what makes us poor. Do we wish our state peace? Then we need to understand the things that bring war. Of course it's not all ugly. In fact, even with those scenes, these paintings have a crisp and colorful style about them that draws the eye. They seem to say, "Come this way," and "Look over here." The discerning eye will find humor on those walls, as well as the sentiment of yearning for progress. It is profoundly interesting to find a baptism in the background of a panel with a slave being whipped, or dancing girls and bar fights in the same painting as hardworking farmers, or even covered wagons on one side of the room contrasting the industrial revolution on the opposite.
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