On this day in 1889, a boy was born in southwest Missouri who would go on to have more than a brush with fame – he would have fame with his brush. Thomas Hart Benton became one of the most famous artists in America during the 1900s. Benton helped develop the regionalist movement, which shared the lives of average Americans in the Midwest with a broader audience.

From one of Missouri’s most influential families, the artist is often confused with his great uncle and namesake, Senator Thomas Hart Benton.

Based upon content from the book Missouri 365: This Day in Missouri History by John W. Brown, broadcaster and Missouri historian. Get your copy at Reedy Press.

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