The Cliffs 1921

Thomas Hart Benton made this painting of cliffs with oils, and what I love about oil paint is that it always has a mind of its own, moving across the canvas as if it’s alive. When I look at these rock-like shapes in the foreground, I imagine how Benton might have built them up, maybe starting with thin washes and then layering thicker paint on top to give them volume. The colour is so rich and warm. I get the sense that Benton knew how to make colours sing together. He wasn’t afraid to go bold, you know? There’s a kind of fearlessness that I admire! I imagine Benton standing there, maybe squinting a little, trying to capture the way the light hits those cliffs. He’s responding to what he sees, but he’s also adding his own spin, simplifying the forms and exaggerating the colours. That’s what makes it so interesting.