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  4. Thomas Hart Benton Painting “Independence and the Opening of the West” at the Harry S. Truman Library

Motion Picture MP82-1

Thomas Hart Benton Painting “Independence and the Opening of the West” at the Harry S. Truman Library

Administrative Information

Original Format(s)
Motion Picture
Footage
1390 feet
Running Time
38 minutes
Film Gauge
16mm
Sound
silent
Color
Color
Produced by
Home movie filmed by Dr. T. Wilson (a dentist who was a friend of Thomas Hart Benton)
Restrictions
Unrestricted
Description

Home movie showing artist Thomas Hart Benton working on his mural, "Independence and the Opening of the West," in the lobby of the Harry S. Truman Library. Mr. Truman appears in the film, as well as Earl Warren.

Date(s)
ca.
November 1959 - April 1960

SD-quality copies of already digitized motion pictures are available for $20, and HD-quality copies of already digitized motion pictures are $50. Copies of motion pictures not already digitized will incur additional costs.

This item does not circulate but reproductions may be purchased.

To request a copy of this item, please contact truman.reference@nara.gov​​​​​​​

Please note that this video belongs to a different video collection than the items available to be borrowed by teachers, from our Education Department.

Moving Image Type
Motion Picture

Shot List

  • Reel 1
0:00   Artist Thomas Hart Benton shaping clay model.
0:55   Painting clay model.
1:14   At canvas, drawing outline of mural.
1:50   Painting the mural on a canvas.
2:55   Assistant scaling off actual (marking it off in squared).
4:44   Painting of mural displayed in Harry S. Truman Library. Lobby with sign explaining that work on the mural is in progress.
5:06   Details of actual mural, part unfinished, just sketched in.
7:45   Guards pulling scaffolding up to mural.
8:49   Benton climbs up scaffolding, paints.
16:23   Benton off scaffold, climbs up with new bucket of material.
18:45   Tourists gather to watch him work. He is now on a lower section of the mural.
19:18   Benton down working on lowest part of mural.
20:08   Close-up of left section of mural; Benton painting.
21:19   Close-up of Benton working with paints, mixing colors, etc.; painting on mural; close-up of Benton's face.
24:36   General view of mural.
26:05   Men viewing mural, speaking to Benton. Cameras are set up for a photography setting.
26:57   Harry S. Truman comes out, shakes hands with Benton, speaks.
27:22   Benton painting again.
31:33   Benton signs name in corner of mural.
31:54   Benton painting on lower panels.
35:50   View of whole mural.
36:58   Dedication: Truman and Benton talking; Earl Warren, Dr. Philip C. Brooks (Library Director) can be seen.
38:11   Mural illuminated through doors of Truman Library at night.