Born in Missouri at the end of the nineteenth century, Thomas Hart Benton would become America's most notorious and celebrated painter. The first artist to make the cover of Time, he was a true original: an heir to both the rollicking populism of his father's political family and the quiet life of his Appalachian grandfather. In his twenties, he would find his calling in New York, where he was drawn to memories of his small-town youth--and to visions of the American scene. By the mid-1930s, his heroic murals were featured in statehouses, universities, and museums. Yet even as the nation learned his name, he was often scorned by critics and political commentators. Benton was quick to fight back, but the widespread backlash had an impact--and foreshadowed many of the artistic debates that would dominate the coming decades. This definitive biography places Benton in the context of his historical moment--as well as in the landscapes and cultural circles that inspired him.--From publisher description.