“Poker Night (from a Streetcar Named Desire)” is an artwork created by Thomas Hart Benton in 1946. This piece is associated with the Regionalism art movement and belongs to the genre painting category.
The artwork vividly captures a moment filled with tension and drama. It depicts a dimly lit room where five men are intensely involved in a poker game around a table. The room is characterized by its open window shutters and the vintage lamp hanging above the table. In contrast to the absorbed men, a woman in a blue dress, seated on a green chair, exudes an air of nonchalance as she looks at herself in a handheld mirror. Another woman is partially visible, reclining on a bed in the background. The play of light and shadows, along with the expressive postures and faces of the characters, communicates a narrative rich in emotional complexity. The detailed depiction of the room’s interior and the figures themselves are emblematic of Benton’s ability to convey narrative through his mastery of the Regionalist style.
