A Route 66-themed mural by the grandson of famous artist Thomas Hart Benton will be dedicated on the first floor of Joplin (Mo.) City Hall, 602 S. Main St., at 5:30 p.m. April 15, according to the Joplin Independent.
Anthony Benton Gude, Benton’s grandson, has completed the mural. The date of the dedication marks the 100th anniversary of the Newman Building, which houses City Hall, and Benton’s birthday.
Benton was a renowned regionalist painter who captured a rich history relating to Southwest Missouri. His mural, created for Joplin’s Centennial in 1973, was heralded as “Joplin’s Past in Benton’s Brushstrokes” by the Kansas City Star. His grandson’s regionalist mural depicting Route 66 and including individuals from the Joplin region who defined that era will be viewed in tandem with his mural, which in part depicts the activities of the House of Lords, Joplin’s well-known “entertainment” spot during the heyday of mining. Currently there are no other locations that will exhibit paintings by both grandfather and grandson.
Gude, who lives in Frankfort, KS, was commissioned to create the mural in April 2009. His topic was to depict the heyday of Route 66 and complement his grandfather’s previously commissioned piece.
After seeing Gude’s online gallery of his work, you just know the mural is going to be great.
UPDATE: The Marysville (Kan.) Advocate has a longer story about the mural, including a video of Gude explaining it.