Persephone 1939

Thomas Hart Benton made this painting, Persephone, and wow, is it a trip! Look at how he builds up the forms with these tiny, almost obsessive brushstrokes. It's like he's sculpting with paint, layer upon layer. And the colors! That fleshy pink of Persephone herself against the earthy greens and browns – it's a total contrast that makes your eyes bounce all over the place. Check out the way he renders the old man’s hand; it's like a gnarled root, reaching, almost scared. It’s pretty creepy, but also… fascinating. Benton's got this thing for exaggerating, almost cartooning, the human form. It reminds me a bit of El Greco, who also stretched and twisted figures to make them more expressive. Ultimately, this piece refuses to settle into one easy meaning. Is it erotic? Mythological? A bit disturbing? Maybe it's all of those things at once. And that's what makes it so compelling.