Menemsha Pond, Martha's Vineyard

Dr. Henry Adams, a committee member for the Thomas Hart Benton Catalogue Raisonné Foundation, writes in an unpublished letter that the present work “…is a view of Menemsha Pond from the front lawn of what became the Benton home on Martha’s Vineyard, or somewhere very close by.” The famed American Regionalist summered on Martha’s Vineyard for much of his life, settling near the pond on the west side of the island. The artist completed numerous studies and paintings of the area in the 1920’s and Dr. Adams continues, “The somewhat simplified, cubic quality of the form has some affinity with Benton’s paintings of “The American Historical Epic,” which he was working on at this time.” (unpublished letter, 2015)
This work will be included in the forthcoming Thomas Hart Benton catalogue raisonné being prepared by the Thomas Hart Benton Catalogue Raisonné Foundation. Committee Members: Dr. Henry Adams, Jessie Benton, Anthony Benton Gude, Andrew Thompson and Michael Owen.