49: THOMAS HART BENTON (1889-1975) PENCIL SIGNED LITHO

Thomas Hart Benton (Missouri, 1889-1975)
Instruction (1940)
The lithograph from an edition of 250 prints published by Associated American Artists is signed by the artist in pencil below the image lower right, listed as Fath catalog number 41. A very strong impression.

Benton's comments in Fath read: A painting of this was made in 1940 directly from life. On of my students at the K.C. Art Institute found the man selling snake medicine in the pool halls of 15th Street in downtown K.C. He caught rattle snakes and let them rot and ferment in gallon jars and sold the result as an aphrodisiac. He was also a preacher and conducted a Sunday school class. This picture shows him telling about the Bible. The painting is in the Louvre Collection, Great Neck N.Y.
Image measures 10 x 12.5, sheet is 12.5 x 16.75, with a framed size of 19 x 23.25 inches.
Very, very good condition, the full untrimmed sheet with four deckle edges, not laid down, no damage, stain, puncture or repair. There are two tiny points of foxing in total throughout the entire sheet and printer's ink lower right brown tape verso.
Provenance: A private Kansas City collection.
$1,500 - $2,500