The artwork, titled “Trail Riders,” was created by Thomas Hart Benton between the years 1964 and 1965. Executed in oil on canvas, this piece belongs to the Regionalism art movement and falls under the landscape genre.
“Trail Riders” depicts an expansive, mountainous landscape dominated by a central, towering peak blanketed with pristine white snow. The foreground and midground are rendered in lush, vivid greens, displaying dense forests and undulating hills. A serene, winding lake lies nestled amidst the greenery, reflecting the calm and grandeur of the surroundings. Scattered riders on horseback, portrayed as diminutive figures in comparison to the monumental natural beauty, suggest a narrative of exploration and harmony with the wilderness. The artwork radiates a sense of tranquility and reverence for the sublime power of the natural world, aligned with Benton’s famed Regionalist style that celebrates American rural life and landscapes.
