The Campanella Collection of Original Works by Thomas Hart Benton
Sat, Dec 2, 2023 11:00AM EST
Live Auction
Lot 9
Thomas Hart Benton "Marching Colonial Soldiers" Gouache (ca. 1920s)
Sold for
$2,600
Sold Price excludes BP
Bid Increments
| Price | Bid Increment |
|---|---|
| $0 | $25 |
| $500 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $5,000 | $250 |
| $10,000 | $500 |
| $20,000 | $1,000 |
| $50,000 | $2,500 |
| $75,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 |
Thomas Hart Benton
(Missouri, 1889-1975)
Marching Colonial Soldiers, circa late 1920s
Watercolor and gouache on paper
9" x 12"
Benton scholar Dr. Henry Adams: "When Benton received the commission for America Today in 1930, he abandoned The American Historical Epic, having carried the project only up to colonial times. This seems to be a sketch for a never-completed section of the mural. Judging from the costumes of the figures it must either portray the American Revolution, or one of the Indian wars of the colonial period, such as those Benton portrayed in his panel of Struggle for the Wilderness. Benton did not make studies for his later murals in watercolor. This fact, together with the elongated anatomy of the figures, suggests a date in the late 1920s—the time when Benton was focusing on his Historical Epic."
Matted to 16" x 20".
Condition
Good condition, noting an area of mat burn to the sheet at the bottom right corner.
Overall Dimensions
Height: 16.00 in
Width: 20.00 in
Depth: 0.50 in
Available payment options
Acquired by Vincent and Leah Campanella directly from Thomas and Rita Benton over the course of their 25 year friendship. A portion of the collection was given to the Campanellas by Rita in 1975 as compensation for Vincent completing "The Sources of Country Music," the mural left unfinished when Tom passed away in 1975. Vincent Campanella was later prominently featured in the Ken Burns documentary Thomas Hart Benton (1988). In 2001, the Campanella family sold the collection to the current owner, a private Kansas City collector.
Benton scholar and author, Dr. Henry Adams, has authenticated the entire collection in person. You can find his essay documenting the 25 year tumultuous friendship of Vincent and Thomas and the origins of the collection at Circle-Auction.com. A copy of his essay will be provided to all winning bidders.