By Marilyn Fish
In the 1920s, a skeletal old tree that stood guard over the misty hills and deep forests of Becket inspired artist Thomas Hart Benton (1889-1975) to make a sketch. He later transformed that sketch into a robust painting of twisting sculptural forms, typical of his Regionalist style. He titled it The Old Tree, Becket, Massachusetts. Born in Missouri, Benton’s artistic abilities appeared in early childhood. His mother encouraged him to enroll at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, followed by training at the Academie Julian in Paris. Years later, moving between his studios in New York City and Martha’s Vineyard, as well as visiting far-flung locations throughout America, he sketched, painted murals and easel paintings, and created prints in his own energetic manner, eventually achieving the recognition and praise of peers, collectors, and museums. He succeeded by focusing on landscapes and depictions of everyday life, despite working in an era when the art elite were moving toward abstraction and expressionism. His work was particularly popular with FDR’s Works Progress Administration and continues to inspire new generations of artists.
In 2019, his The Old Tree, Becket, Massachusetts painting was offered for sale online by Sotheby’s, New York. It exceeded expectations when it sold for $100,000 (including buyer’s premium).
Source: Sotheby’s American Art Auction, August 27, 2019 – September 17, 2019, lot 76.
