{"id":14831,"date":"2019-08-30T20:00:46","date_gmt":"2019-08-30T20:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/?p=14831"},"modified":"2019-08-23T20:01:01","modified_gmt":"2019-08-23T20:01:01","slug":"its-time-for-some-art","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/?p=14831","title":{"rendered":"It&#8217;s Time for Some Art"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Actually, it&#8217;s time for a whole lot of art!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/capitol-birdseye-view.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14804\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/capitol-birdseye-view.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"426\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>We&#8217;re back at the Missouri State Capitol, on the south bank of the Missouri River is Jefferson City. According to my <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Missouri_State_Capitol\">Preferred Source<\/a>, it was designed by the architectural firm of Tracy and Swartwout out of New York City.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Pace Salsa &quot;New York City?!&quot; (1980&#039;s commercial)\" width=\"660\" height=\"495\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/yvIRh-qt9EQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>NEW YORK CITY??!!!<\/p>\n<p>Yeah, well, everyone has to be somewhere.<\/p>\n<p>This capitol\u00a0was completed in 1917, and the dome was topped with a statue of Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Ceres_Ceres-page2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14803 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Ceres_Ceres-page2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"380\" height=\"432\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Ceres_Ceres-page2.jpg 380w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Ceres_Ceres-page2-264x300.jpg 264w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 380px) 100vw, 380px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>According to the Missouri Capitol website, Ceres was installed in 1924, and she was on top of the dome until November 2018, which is just weeks after my visit. I miss everything!<\/p>\n<p>They had to winch\u00a0her up in three pieces and then assemble it on top of the dome. She weights about one ton, \u00a0and stands 10 feet, four inches tall. They took her down as part of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stltoday.com\/news\/local\/govt-and-politics\/ceres-roman-goddess-of-agriculture-descends-from-missouri-capitol-to\/article_385ee20c-6188-5535-beae-8bc900976032.html#1\">multi-year renovation<\/a>. The last time she was cleaned\u00a0was in 1995, when a crew restored her on top of the dome, which is 238 feet above ground level. She was suffering from &#8220;bronze rot.&#8221; If I were one of the conservators, I&#8217;d be suffering from a whole lot more than &#8220;bronze rot.&#8221; I do believe, though, that my face might have been a nice shade of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Verdigris\">verdigris<\/a>. &#8220;Height&#8221; is not something I do willingly.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Dome-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14710 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Dome-1-1024x884.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"570\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Dome-1-1024x884.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Dome-1-300x259.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Dome-1-768x663.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Hanging from the eye of the dome is a 9,000 pound chandelier. It hung there safely until 2006. It was lowered almost to the floor for maintenance when it fell the remaining five feet. While the chandelier cost $5,000 in 1918, which would be $83,285 in 2018 dollars, it cost $500,000 to be restored. That is $641,410 in 2018 dollars. It was reinstalled nearly a full year later.<\/p>\n<p>The dome is covered with murals created by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Frank_Brangwyn\">Frank Brangwyn<\/a>, a prolific, popular and much awarded artist of the time. He was largely self-taught, but he did work in the studios of William Morris for a time.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Dome.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14661 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Dome-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"495\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Dome-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Dome-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Dome-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Those familiar with the work of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/William_Morris\">William Morris<\/a> might see some of his influences in his work.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_14833\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14833\" style=\"width: 739px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/William_Morris_001.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-14833 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/William_Morris_001.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"739\" height=\"1000\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/William_Morris_001.jpg 739w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/William_Morris_001-222x300.jpg 222w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 739px) 100vw, 739px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-14833\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">By William Morris &#8211; The Yorck Project (2002) 10.000 Meisterwerke der Malerei (DVD-ROM), distributed by DIRECTMEDIA Publishing GmbH. ISBN: 3936122202., Public Domain, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=155928<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>William Morris&#8217; most famous quote is one that Marie Condo seems to have adopted:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHave nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Dome-looking-up.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14711 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Dome-looking-up-1024x985.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"635\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Dome-looking-up-1024x985.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Dome-looking-up-300x289.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Dome-looking-up-768x739.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The interior of the dome almost reminds me of a Faberge egg, turned inside out.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/In-the-center.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14708 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/In-the-center-1024x829.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/In-the-center-1024x829.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/In-the-center-300x243.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/In-the-center-768x622.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Around this level of the dome, there are works of art that show important aspects of Missouri&#8217;s history.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Detail-under-cupolA.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14709 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Detail-under-cupolA-1024x621.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Detail-under-cupolA-1024x621.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Detail-under-cupolA-300x182.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Detail-under-cupolA-768x465.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Really, there are so many levels that open onto the rotunda that it&#8217;s hard to keep track of which ones were on which level. The differing decorative bands help to sort it out.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/The-Freighter.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14712 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/The-Freighter-1024x739.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"476\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/The-Freighter-1024x739.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/The-Freighter-300x217.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/The-Freighter-768x555.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I have seen &#8220;freighters&#8221; honored in several of the western capitols. These wagon drivers were the long haul truckers of their day. The products and supplies they carried in their wagons made settlement possible.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/The-Cattleman.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14716 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/The-Cattleman-1024x711.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"458\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/The-Cattleman-1024x711.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/The-Cattleman-300x208.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/The-Cattleman-768x533.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The cattlemen played a large part in Missouri&#8217;s\u00a0economic development.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Ideas-control-the-world.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14662 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Ideas-control-the-world-866x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"780\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Ideas-control-the-world-866x1024.jpg 866w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Ideas-control-the-world-254x300.jpg 254w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Ideas-control-the-world-768x908.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>This is a section I shared in my last post. I like it, so I am sharing it again.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Dome.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14661 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Dome-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"495\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Dome-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Dome-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Dome-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>One more look up and then on to the works of other artists.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Dome-from-the-second-level.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14663 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Dome-from-the-second-level-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"495\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Dome-from-the-second-level-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Dome-from-the-second-level-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Dome-from-the-second-level-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Okay, make that two more photos. Honestly, Frank Brangwyn did an amazing job of painting a complicated surface.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_14840\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14840\" style=\"width: 660px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Sistina-interno.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-14840 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Sistina-interno-761x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"888\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Sistina-interno-761x1024.jpg 761w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Sistina-interno-223x300.jpg 223w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Sistina-interno-768x1034.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Sistina-interno.jpg 797w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-14840\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">By The original uploader was Snowdog at Italian Wikipedia. &#8211; http:\/\/artchive.com\/ftp_site.htm Transferred from it.wikipedia to Commons by Pierpao using CommonsHelper., CC BY-SA 3.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=18462479<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It&#8217;s not the Sistine Chapel, but it made me think of it.<\/p>\n<p>Our guide made a point of showing us these works of art by <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Frank_Nuderscher\">Frank Nuderscher<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Painting-one.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14693 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Painting-one-821x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"823\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Painting-one-821x1024.jpg 821w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Painting-one-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Painting-one-768x958.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Born in St. Louis in 1880, he was an illustrator, muralist, and painter of the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/American_Impressionism\">American Impressionism<\/a> style. He was called the &#8220;dean of St. Louis artists&#8221; for his leadership in the Missouri art community.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Painting-I-from-the-other-side.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14694 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Painting-I-from-the-other-side-688x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"982\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Painting-I-from-the-other-side-688x1024.jpg 688w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Painting-I-from-the-other-side-202x300.jpg 202w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Painting-I-from-the-other-side-768x1143.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Painting-I-from-the-other-side.jpg 1937w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Our guide was very intent on showing us his painting from the two sides. He told us that there was a trick in the perspective that made things look different. Quite frankly, I don&#8217;t see it.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Painting-two-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14696 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Painting-two-1-837x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"807\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Painting-two-1-837x1024.jpg 837w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Painting-two-1-245x300.jpg 245w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Painting-two-1-768x940.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Painting-two-1.jpg 2009w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>There was a second Nuderscher painting in the same hallway.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Pqinting-two-2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14697 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Pqinting-two-2-756x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"894\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Pqinting-two-2-756x1024.jpg 756w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Pqinting-two-2-222x300.jpg 222w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Pqinting-two-2-768x1040.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Again, there is supposed to be some sort of trick in the perspective. Supposedly the rows of crops change direction. If you see it, please let me know. Maybe I am looking in the wrong places.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Assembling-of-the-first-legislature.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14692 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Assembling-of-the-first-legislature-1024x748.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"482\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Assembling-of-the-first-legislature-1024x748.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Assembling-of-the-first-legislature-300x219.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Assembling-of-the-first-legislature-768x561.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Assembling-of-the-first-legislature.jpg 1592w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Smaller lunettes in the same hallway showed some of the history of Missouri. This is the assembling of the first legislature in St. Charles in 1821.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Old-Saint-Genevieve.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14698 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Old-Saint-Genevieve-1024x521.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"336\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Old-Saint-Genevieve-1024x521.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Old-Saint-Genevieve-300x153.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Old-Saint-Genevieve-768x391.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Old Saint Genevieve is in one of the lunettes. According to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitstegen.com\/our-historic-past\/\">sources<\/a>, it is the &#8220;first permanent\u00a0civilized settlement&#8221; in Missouri. The French established it\u00a0on the Mississippi River, about 60 miles south of St. Louis. According to the source, one of the reasons they settled there was to take advantage of the salt springs on Saline Creek. I didn&#8217;t know there were salt springs!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/emigrants-leaving-westport-over-the-Santa-Fe-trail.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14700 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/emigrants-leaving-westport-over-the-Santa-Fe-trail-1024x517.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"333\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/emigrants-leaving-westport-over-the-Santa-Fe-trail-1024x517.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/emigrants-leaving-westport-over-the-Santa-Fe-trail-300x151.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/emigrants-leaving-westport-over-the-Santa-Fe-trail-768x388.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>With all the discussion these days about <em><strong>im<\/strong><\/em>migrants, I had completely forgotten about <em><strong>e<\/strong><\/em>migrants. It wasn&#8217;t all that long ago that our own people were leaving all that they knew to make a better life for themselves and their families.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/First-Train-Arriving-at-Tipton-better-shot.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14701 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/First-Train-Arriving-at-Tipton-better-shot-1024x532.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"343\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/First-Train-Arriving-at-Tipton-better-shot-1024x532.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/First-Train-Arriving-at-Tipton-better-shot-300x156.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/First-Train-Arriving-at-Tipton-better-shot-768x399.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I guess pushing ever westward was a big part of Missouri&#8217;s history.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Tipton-MO.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14844 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Tipton-MO.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"749\" height=\"525\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Tipton-MO.jpg 749w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Tipton-MO-300x210.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 749px) 100vw, 749px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>There&#8217;s Tipton, west of Jefferson City.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Pony-Express-Leaving-St-Joseph.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14704 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Pony-Express-Leaving-St-Joseph-1024x508.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"327\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Pony-Express-Leaving-St-Joseph-1024x508.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Pony-Express-Leaving-St-Joseph-300x149.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Pony-Express-Leaving-St-Joseph-768x381.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Moving information west (and east) was also important. <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pony_Express\">The Pony Express<\/a> was only in operation for 18 months, but it remains vivid in our imaginations.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_14845\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14845\" style=\"width: 660px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2880px-Pony_Express_Map_William_Henry_Jackson.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-14845 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2880px-Pony_Express_Map_William_Henry_Jackson-1024x348.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"224\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2880px-Pony_Express_Map_William_Henry_Jackson-1024x348.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2880px-Pony_Express_Map_William_Henry_Jackson-300x102.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2880px-Pony_Express_Map_William_Henry_Jackson-768x261.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-14845\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">By William Henry Jackson &#8211; Illustration: William Henry Jackson, American artist. Text: Howard Roscoe Driggs. Scan: US Library of CongressPhoto image obtained\/rendered by Gwillhickers. Restoration by Crisco 1492, Public Domain, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=10111804<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The first westbound Pony Express trip left St. Joseph, on April 3, 1860 and arrived in Sacramento, California on April 14. According to a famous advertisement, the employers were looking for, \u00a0&#8220;Young, skinny, wiry fellows not over eighteen. Must be expert riders, willing to risk death daily. Orphans preferred.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Whether or not that is true or an exaggeration, what is true is that they could not weigh over 125 pounds and they had to swear an oath:<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I, <b>&#8230; <\/b>, do hereby swear, before the Great and Living God, that during my engagement, and while I am an employee of Russell, Majors, and Waddell, I will, under no circumstances, use profane language, that I will drink no intoxicating liquors, that I will not quarrel or fight with any other employee of the firm, and that in every respect I will conduct myself honestly, be faithful to my duties, and so direct all my acts as to win the confidence of my employers, so help me God.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Log-Cabins.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14705 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Log-Cabins-1024x511.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"329\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Log-Cabins-1024x511.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Log-Cabins-300x150.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Log-Cabins-768x384.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I am not quite sure what to make of this painting. At first, I thought that it showed the Osage looking at the settler&#8217;s cabin. Upon closer examination, I think the two figures on the right side are male anglo settlers watching a young girl bathe outside her cabin, with her mother looking on from the doorway. I wonder what the artist&#8217;s intent was?<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Osage-Village.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14706 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Osage-Village-1024x518.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"334\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Osage-Village-1024x518.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Osage-Village-300x152.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Osage-Village-768x389.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>They did not completely ignore the first inhabitants of the land. Here&#8217;s a lunette showing an Osage village. We know it must be depicting a scene after 1942, as there were no horses in the Americas prior to the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Columbian_exchange\">Columbian exchange<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Osage-Hunters.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14707 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Osage-Hunters-1024x492.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"317\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Osage-Hunters-1024x492.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Osage-Hunters-300x144.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Osage-Hunters-768x369.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>These people certainly knew how to make use of the resources available to them.<\/p>\n<p>While these works of art were good &#8211; and in any other capitol, I&#8217;d say they were great &#8211; next up was what I was really eager to see. The <a href=\"http:\/\/benton.truman.edu\/index.html\">Thomas Hart Benton murals.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/The-Thomas-Hart-Benton-Murals.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14717 \" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/The-Thomas-Hart-Benton-Murals-839x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"533\" height=\"650\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/The-Thomas-Hart-Benton-Murals-839x1024.jpg 839w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/The-Thomas-Hart-Benton-Murals-246x300.jpg 246w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/The-Thomas-Hart-Benton-Murals-768x937.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/The-Thomas-Hart-Benton-Murals.jpg 1968w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 533px) 100vw, 533px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Thomas Hart Benton was commissioned to paint murals for the House Lounge, which is now used as\u00a0a reception room &#8211; not what I think of as a lounge.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas Hart Benton\u00a0was an American painter who was in the forefront of the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Regionalism_(art)\">Regionalist art movement<\/a>, along with Grant Wood and John Steuart Curry.<\/p>\n<p>You all know Grant Wood, if for nothing more that his iconic American Gothic and the multitudinous parodies.\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/American-Gothic.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14850\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/American-Gothic.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"330\" height=\"400\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>In fact, I visited the house that was used in the background and wrote about it in and earlier<a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/?p=6508\"> post<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The other name often mentioned as a Regionalist artist is John Steuart Curry. I have to admit that I wasn&#8217;t familiar with that name. Perhaps Sister Jeanne taught us about him, but that was a good 40 years ago. (gulp!) I may have forgotten.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_14852\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14852\" style=\"width: 676px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Baptism-in-Kansas-Curry.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-14852 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Baptism-in-Kansas-Curry.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"676\" height=\"548\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Baptism-in-Kansas-Curry.jpg 676w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Baptism-in-Kansas-Curry-300x243.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-14852\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">By John Steuart Curry &#8211; http:\/\/janieusart.web.unc.edu\/, Public Domain, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=48542300<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Curry also did murals, but in the state capitol of Kansas. I guess Regionalist art \u00a0makes sense in a Midwest state capitol.<\/p>\n<p>Regionalism is a realist modern art movement arose in the 1930s as a response to the Great Depression and ended in the 1940s, along with the end of World War II. Its height of \u00a0popularity was from 1930 to 1935. \u00a0It was appreciated for its reassuring images that focused on depicting scenes of rural and small-town America primarily in the Midwest and Deep South. According to my <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Regionalism_(art)\">Preferred Source<\/a>, Regionalist Art in general was in a relatively conservative and traditionalist style that appealed to popular American sensibilities.<\/p>\n<p>I am not sure that the legislators found Benton&#8217;s work particularly reassuring. In fact, when the legislature convened in 1937, there was an uproar. The legislators wanted the murals covered up.\u00a0They\u00a0gave many reasons for wanting the murals covered up, including: the subject matter; the largeness of the figures; the bright colors; and the crowds flocking to the Lounge to look at the murals.<\/p>\n<p>At the time, legislators did not have their own offices, and they used the Lounge to \u00a0congregate and to get work done.<\/p>\n<p><b> <\/b><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14718 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-1-1024x900.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"580\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-1-1024x900.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-1-300x264.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-1-768x675.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>There is no denying any of those criticisms.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14719 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-2-1024x653.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"421\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-2-1024x653.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-2-300x191.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-2-768x490.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Benton was given the princely sum of $16,000 for decorating the Lounge. It was a considerable amount, considering that this was the height of the Depression. It was more than the Governor&#8217;s annual salary. In 2019 funds, this would be equal to almost $300,000. Quite frankly, I think they got their money&#8217;s worth.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-3.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14720 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-3-1024x806.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"519\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-3-1024x806.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-3-300x236.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-3-768x604.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Benton was charged with showing the history of Missouri from the arrival of the French in the 1750s to the 1930s, when the painting was completed. It doesn&#8217;t look away from the darker episodes of the state&#8217;s history, including slavery and the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Missouri_Compromise\">Missouri Compromise<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-4.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14721 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-4-1024x629.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"405\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-4-1024x629.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-4-300x184.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-4-768x471.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Notice the European settler on the left giving and native resident what I can only assume is alcohol.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-5.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14722 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-5-1024x465.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-5-1024x465.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-5-300x136.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-5-768x349.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-5.jpg 1134w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The treatment of slaves was included in the historical record.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Denton-7.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14723 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Denton-7-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"495\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Denton-7-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Denton-7-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Denton-7-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>This painting reminds me of the work of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hieronymus_Bosch\">Hieronymus Bosch<\/a>, a Dutch painter born in the 15th century.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_14855\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14855\" style=\"width: 660px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Bosch-Garden-of-Earthly-delights.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-14855 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Bosch-Garden-of-Earthly-delights-1024x725.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"467\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Bosch-Garden-of-Earthly-delights-1024x725.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Bosch-Garden-of-Earthly-delights-300x212.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Bosch-Garden-of-Earthly-delights-768x544.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Bosch-Garden-of-Earthly-delights.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-14855\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">By Hieronymus Bosch or workshop &#8211; Museo Nacional del Prado, Public Domain, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=27598882<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Everywhere you look is something astounding.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_14856\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14856\" style=\"width: 430px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Bosch-Garden-of-Earthly-delights-detail-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-14856 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Bosch-Garden-of-Earthly-delights-detail-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"430\" height=\"919\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Bosch-Garden-of-Earthly-delights-detail-1.jpg 430w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Bosch-Garden-of-Earthly-delights-detail-1-140x300.jpg 140w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 430px) 100vw, 430px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-14856\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">By Hieronymus Bosch or workshop &#8211; Museo Nacional del Prado, Public Domain, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=27598882<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>And unsettling.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_14857\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14857\" style=\"width: 660px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Bosch-Garden-of-Earthly-delights-detail-2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-14857 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Bosch-Garden-of-Earthly-delights-detail-2-947x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"714\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Bosch-Garden-of-Earthly-delights-detail-2-947x1024.jpg 947w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Bosch-Garden-of-Earthly-delights-detail-2-277x300.jpg 277w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Bosch-Garden-of-Earthly-delights-detail-2-768x831.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Bosch-Garden-of-Earthly-delights-detail-2.jpg 993w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-14857\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">By Hieronymus Bosch or workshop &#8211; Museo Nacional del Prado, Public Domain, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=27598882<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>But we&#8217;re not here to talk about Hieronymus Bosch. Back to Thomas Hart Benton.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-6.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14724 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-6-1024x886.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"571\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-6-1024x886.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-6-300x260.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-6-768x665.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The lawmakers were scandalized by the inclusion of such quotidian activities.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-10-Son.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14727 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-10-Son-897x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"753\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-10-Son-897x1024.jpg 897w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-10-Son-263x300.jpg 263w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-10-Son-768x877.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-10-Son.jpg 1166w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I think some of the models for these figures were family members.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-muscles.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14725 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-muscles-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"880\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-muscles-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-muscles-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The lumberjack reminds me of the statue, &#8220;<i><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Laoco\u00f6n_and_His_Sons\">Laoco\u00f6n and His Sons<\/a>,&#8221;<\/i> an ancient Greek statue. (Thank you, Sister Jeanne!) One of the things I remember her telling me about the Greek statue was that they really got into showing all the muscles bulging &#8211; and not in a natural way. I mean, if you are really doing something, some muscles are tense and others are relaxed. Anyway, if you want to see what I am referring to, click on the link.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-8-Jesse-James.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14726 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-8-Jesse-James-1024x865.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"558\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-8-Jesse-James-1024x865.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-8-Jesse-James-300x253.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-8-Jesse-James-768x649.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Benton included all sorts of things that were part of the history of Missouri, including Jesse James robbing trains.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-11-Frankie-and-JOHNNY.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14728 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-11-Frankie-and-JOHNNY-1024x893.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"576\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-11-Frankie-and-JOHNNY-1024x893.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-11-Frankie-and-JOHNNY-300x261.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-11-Frankie-and-JOHNNY-768x669.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-11-Frankie-and-JOHNNY.jpg 1644w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>And the real life story behind the song, Frankie and Johnny. It was based on an <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Frankie_and_Johnny_(song)\">1899 St. Louis murder<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Louis Armstrong - 02 - Frankie &amp; Johnny\" width=\"660\" height=\"495\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/J2CRwtrko0I?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>There are many versions of the song out there floating around. I selected this one for your enjoyment.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-14.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14731 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-14-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"495\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-14-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-14-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-14-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>This detail looks like misogyny is also part of the state&#8217;s history.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/BENTON-13-PRENDERGAST.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14729 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/BENTON-13-PRENDERGAST-985x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"686\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/BENTON-13-PRENDERGAST-985x1024.jpg 985w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/BENTON-13-PRENDERGAST-289x300.jpg 289w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/BENTON-13-PRENDERGAST-768x798.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;ve mentioned <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tom_Pendergast\">Tom Pendergast<\/a> and his political machine before. Here he is, right on the walls of the state capitol. In fact, at the time this mural was painted in 1936, he was still very much in charge of Missouri politics. In 1939, he was convicted of income tax evasion and served 15 months in a Federal prison.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-13-Nelson-Atckins-and-WW-I-memorial.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14730 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-13-Nelson-Atckins-and-WW-I-memorial-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"880\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-13-Nelson-Atckins-and-WW-I-memorial-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Benton-13-Nelson-Atckins-and-WW-I-memorial-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I have zoomed in on these images, because they are of places I hope to see while I am in Kansas City: The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the Liberty Memorial, now known as the National WW I Museum and Memorial.<\/p>\n<p>And, with that, we leave the House Lounge and the Thomas Hart Benton murals.<\/p>\n<p>Believe it or not, there is yet another post coming about the Missouri State Capitol.<\/p>\n<p>So, stay tuned!<\/p>\n<p>(I promise the next one will be the last post about the capitol, at least for this visit.)<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Actually, it&#8217;s time for a whole lot of art! We&#8217;re back at the Missouri State Capitol, on the south bank of the Missouri River is Jefferson City. According to my Preferred Source, it was designed by the architectural firm of Tracy and Swartwout out of New York City. NEW YORK CITY??!!! Yeah, well, everyone has &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/?p=14831\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">It&#8217;s Time for Some Art<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1370,1371,1373,1380,1378,1379,1375,1377,1372,1374,1376,1381],"class_list":["post-14831","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-ceres","tag-frank-brangwyn","tag-frank-nuderscher","tag-frankie-and-johnny","tag-house-lounge","tag-jesse-james","tag-osage","tag-regionalist-art","tag-the-freighter","tag-the-pony-express","tag-thomas-hart-benton","tag-tom-pendergast"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14831","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14831"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14831\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14863,"href":"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14831\/revisions\/14863"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14831"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14831"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14831"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}