Blog @ the Nelson-Atkins

I thought maybe this might be a better place to voice my opinion since I seem to not be heard through other venues. I think that it would be a good idea to have a blog addressing the content of the two paintings by Traversi in the European section, entitled The Arts: Music and The Arts: Drawing. The information card to the side reads that the content is ambiguous and I remain, as I have been since March, unconvinced of this. The paintings, displayed side by side are certain to be quite confusing to the viewer. After all, there are three figures, which glaze directly out from the picture space into the viewer's personal space: a man, a woman playing piano, and a dog. In a discussion with my new friend {name removed} from the Museum's education department she shared her assumption that the man in Drawing staring straight out of the painting was Traversi himself, a possibly reasonable explanation I suppose, were it not for the other two figures. I think back to my Junior year of high school, back before the paintings had been put into storage during the renovation. Back at that time they were displayed across the room from each other. How odd for two paintings of the same series to be displayed in that way. And yet the curator found it necessary. If someone were to open their eyes in a different way and look at these two paintings not as flat pieces of canvas, but windows into an invented world, they would interact with their environment, and each other. Placed beside each other these paintings are confusing. Place these paintings across from each other, and we see interaction between them. The gaze of two lovers across a long room. Both highly sought after, the man being pulled on by a young girl, and the Pianist being ogled by a number of old men around her, particularly one gazing at her through a monocle. But neither are concerned with what involves them in the painting in which they sit. Herein lies the heart of the satire which is only guessed at in the information card to the side of these paintings. Neither lover feels content with their station in either painting. Each longs to be someplace better. What an apt comparison to the social struggles of the nobles in the background. I would plead that someone soon change the position of these two paintings or at least give reason for their seemingly purposeless arrangement. I ask that if you will not do it for me, do it for that dog, who cannot even snarl at the cat when it is on the same wall. If this doesn't get people blogging I don't know what will.

The paintings in my view look better side by side, since they reinforce each other this way and interact better than if opposite, sine one can look athem both at once more easily. They are about pretension and flattery. The two girls are admired ,not because they play or draw well, but because they are pretty, like Elisabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice whose playing is only average but who is admirered because of her charm. Some of the admirers in the pic make obscene gestures.This interpretation is more obvious in the the girl who draws.Her drawing is copied from the one held out by the drawing master and is clearly very bad. The child lower right with the pencil and portfolio is much more talented tho only a child as can be seen from the academic correctness of the drawing held out by the seated man,who is obviously cultivated and a good judge.It has been suggested the subject may refer to the text of a play but it is more likely just a general moralising theme about pretentiousness.It has also been pointed out that the people are more middle class that aristocratic, to judge by their clothes, so they may perhaps be seen as aping the cultural mores of higher society.
-Ian Kennedy, Louis L. and Adelaide C. Ward Curator, European Painting & Sculpture

I think a blog addressing the Museum's strange relationship with the works of Thomas Hart Benton is worthy.
There seems to be an embarrased reluctance to give his art its proper due.
This ranges from small (placing his name second in the brochure for the Bingham and Benton show despite it not being alphabetically correct or an indicator or each artist's worth) to the
larger issues which include why there is not a separate room for Benton despite his being the most important artist Kansas City has produced.

Clarence - The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art has 118 of Thomas Hart Benton's works. This collection includes paintings, sketches, lithographs and letters.

Currently, the monumental "American Historical Epic" murals are on view in Gallery 217. Another of his works on view is "Persephone," considered one of the Museum's treasures.

You may see these works free of charge everyday the Museum is open. You may also watch for the forthcoming catalog of the Museum's American paintings collection that will include Benton.

Mr. Kennedy, I'm not satisfied with your explanation of pretension's foremost importance in these paintings. Show me another Traversi outside of these two (and outside of straight portraiture)in which he has chosen to direct the gaze of his subject straight out from the painting. And here in this set, if you count the dog, he's done it three times?!? His scene paintings seem hardly ever to be at all static. Why would in the midst of all this pretense, would he place these two figures simply staring out at nothing? I would have expected to be asked how the lighting would work if they faced each other as the light would come from opposite directions. I'd know not what to say if you'd asked me that, but you didn't. You chose instead to sidestep the real issue of my blog with a wave of your concern for facilitating viewing. Well, if you're so concerned about the viewer then why has there been a ubiquitous glare on Brutality in the North stairwell for as long as I can remember. But that's off topic. Each painting is composed as a painting. I don't see them reinforcing each other, compositionally or otherwise. Lighting issues aside, actual subject matter, not thematic influence, actual subject matter points to an arrangement across from each other. So no matter how nice they look to you side by side, Mr. Kennedy, they now lay dead. You can't look at them easily, unless you ignore Traversi's seemingly undeniable intentions. I'm sorry this is filled with so much angst, I don't mean it to be so. But to wait four years to see these two pieces, and to see them, but not be able to see them as I can only think they ought to be seen, and to be ignored in numerous requests for explanation, and then to receive a response, written in such haste, with little concern for the real point of my comment, it is all just a bit too much for me to remain entirely civil. So if you respond again, tell me why you think the man and the woman(and the dog if you would), do not interact with the painting that ought to be across the room, not a clever essay on all the thematic concerns which would be better suited for the information card beside the paintings, in place of the "ambiguous meaning". Change my mind, or at least try this time. . . Because as far as I'm concerned, it'd be better to put them back in storage permanently than to have them side by side, dead.

Clarence,
The Nelson-Atkins is honored to care for the largest public holding of Thomas Hart Benton’s art. You can always see examples of his work when American art from our collection is on view, and we've drawn special attention to the importance of Benton’s work, not just locally, but nationally and internationally. How? In 1989 we celebrated the centennial of Benton’s birth with a major traveling exhibition that showcased his work in Kansas City, New York, and Los Angeles. In the early 1990s we assisted colleagues in Italy with a major show of Benton works at a venue in Lucano; the Nelson-Atkins was the most generous lender to that international show. The Museum frequently loans Benton canvasses to exhibitions around the world as a way to generate greater enthusiasm for and appreciation of Benton’s art. More recently we helped select a work to be seen in Japan. The 2005 Nelson-Atkins exhibition, Bingham to Benton: The Midwest as Muse, examined George Caleb Bingham and Thomas Hart Benton equally, as the two native artistic sons whose art traced the transformation of the Western frontier into the Middle West. As to why Benton’s name followed Bingham’s in the exhibition title, it was because Benton was born 78 years after his predecessor. Unlike “billing” in a theatrical performance, the names were listed not by “importance,” but rather chronologically and for historical accuracy.

You might also be interested to know that the Nelson-Atkins continues to gather information and do research on Benton. As part of our upcoming catalogue of the American paintings collection (available in June), there is a series of essays on Benton’s work in our collection––in fact, more pages are devoted to Benton than any other artist (including Bingham). We also serve as a clearinghouse for scholars and authors researching and writing about Benton. We assist research and publications about Benton by sharing our vast archival materials related to him and his art as well as examining our holdings with or for others.

Currently, Benton paintings are prominent in our American galleries. Although the American installation is smaller than usual due to our construction, Benton's art outnumbers the work of any other single artist on view in our American collection, with ten panels from the American Historical Epic and Persephone now hanging in the galleries. In the forthcoming expanded reinstallation of American works, Benton will remain a highlight. However, a deliberate curatorial decision has been made not to isolate the Benton works into a single room. Because of the depth, breadth, and richness of our holdings, we are able to showcase Benton’s art within the context of many decades and fellow artists that underscore his importance. Segregating an artist’s work is not always the best method for expressing that artist’s significance. We hope you will come back when our galleries have expanded and more of our American works are on view, including those of Thomas Hart Benton.

Margaret C. Conrads
Samuel Sosland Curator of American Art

Need for someone to jog my memory. I visited our wonderful free museum yesterday afternoon and saw a wonderful Winslow Homer painting in the American section. The picture was of a boat (naturally) and the background was pink as if it was sunset or sunrise. Can anyone tell me the name of the picture?

David

David - the painting you are inquiring of is Gloucester Harbor from 1873. It is part of our exhibiton of the American painting collection, American Highlights: 50 of the Finest.

The following information is from the gallery label:

Winslow Homer is best known for the dark, brooding seascapes and wilderness scenes he painted after 1890. In the 1870s, however, he was distinguished among the scores of artists who painted cheerful scenes of children at play. Homer's images were distinct in their lack of sentimentality. This view of three children in a dory in Gloucester Harbor depicts not only a delightful childhood outing, but also suggests, by the presence of the huge schooners in the background, the children's possible future livelihood.

The colors in the painting are wonderfully luminous, perhaps in part because Homer first studied the scene in watercolor. The seagull in the distance contributes to the spatial depth of the design, which is carefully calibrated to create a rhythm between solids and open spaces, light and shadow

I would love to know the name of the painting in the contemporary gallery of the woman in the canoe. I have an amazing photo of my daughter (age 2) looking up at it like she's a grown up art critic! I'd love to send the photo via email to someone if they are interested in it for the blog. It was taken on opening weekend.

Thanks!

Jennifer - The name of the painting is "Good Afternoon." It was painted by Alex Katz in 1974. We would love to see the image of your daughter. It is great when people of all ages can connect to great art.

When I graduated eighth grade from Prairie High School in 1956, we gave a class gift to the school. That gift was a Thomas Hart Benton painting. Sometime in the 60's or 70's much of the school burned to the ground. I visited Kansas City some ten years ago and went to the rebuilt Prairie School to take a look. I asked several teachers and administrators about the painting, but nobody knew and nobody could recall it. Was it destroyed in the fire? Is it hanging in someone's home? Was it sold? Enquiring minds would like to know.

Michael Everett

Dear Michael,

I have asked several folks at the Museum about the possibility of a Thomas Hart Benton at the Prairie High School. No one had any information but they suggested you might contact the Benton House to find out if they know anything about it. Sorry we couldn't be of more help. Thanks for reading.