Resting on the Set

We would like to thank Andrew Thompson and Dr. Henry Adams for their assistance with cataloguing this work.


In 1937, Thomas Hart Benton was commissioned by Life magazine to paint a mural depicting a behind-the-scenes view of the Hollywood movie industry (Hollywood, 1937-38, Nelson-Atkins Museum, Kansas City, Missouri). In preparation for the project, the artist visited California for a month, sketching and drawing scenes on studio lots, particularly at 20th Century Fox.