City Building 1931

Thomas Hart Benton's "City Building" (1931) is a monumental depiction of urban construction, a theme he explored throughout his career. The mural-like painting, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, features a dynamic composition teeming with figures engaged in various tasks. Benton's signature regionalist style, characterized by bold lines and exaggerated forms, vividly captures the physical labor of building a city. The work celebrates the American working class and their role in shaping the urban landscape.