Back into the Lafayette Square images. We are expecting a significant ice and snow storm from tonight into Monday morning, followed by bitter cold (by our standards). Won’t be on the street for a bit.
When you walk into the park from one of the corners you are confronted with this imposing, pompous statue. A few people walked up to the base and I asked them about the small black plaque on the base. They said it referred to Thomas Hart Benton. "Oh,”I said. “The famous painter of the Midwest and the Mississippi River.” But what about the inscription on the pedestal? Turns out this THB is a Missouri politician, one of our original senators when we entered the union in 1820. The painter is his great great grand nephew.
The inscription on the pedestal is still very strange.
2 comments:
The phrase “There is the East. There is India”, uttered by Benton during a speech, indicated his belief that the western U.S. contained all of the fabled riches of India and more. It is inscribed on the statue honoring him.
Well, he had influence at least enough to have the statue built, where he dignified himself in Roman regalia. And perhaps his great great grandson saw it at some point in his life. It definitely didn't have any influence on his painting style, even if he carried gramps' name.
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