The artwork “Coal” by Thomas Hart Benton was created in 1931 using tempera on canvas and belongs to the Regionalism art movement. This piece, which is a genre painting, is part of the “America Today” series and is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
In the artwork, Benton presents a dynamic and robust depiction of coal mining activities, emphasizing the industrial landscape and the laboring individuals. The central figure, a muscular miner, is prominently placed, highlighting the physical demands of his labor. He is equipped with a headlamp and is holding a pickaxe and lunch pail, symbolizing the grit and tenacity required for his work. The background reveals a bustling industrial scene, filled with smoke-spewing factories, machinery, and miners diligently at work. The use of bold, curving lines and vivid contrasts underscores the intensity and complexity of the industrial environment, while the layered composition engages the viewer in the various facets of coal mining life. Through this work, Benton captures the essence of American industriousness and the profound impact of industrialization on the country’s landscape and its people.
