Items Similar to Tom & Rita (Thomas Hart Benton Plate #10)
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
Michael MardikesTom & Rita (Thomas Hart Benton Plate #10)1956
1956
About the Item
Michael Mardikes
Tom & Rita (Thomas Hart Benton Plate #10)
Year: 1956, 2021
Pigment Ink on Archival Paper Photograph
Image Size: 14.5x14.5 in
Paper Size: 22x17 in
Edition: Unique
Signed by hand
Label signed and numbered by Estate Representative
COA provided by Authorizing Body
Additional COA provided by representing Gallery
Ref.: 924802-907
Image included in the exhibition An Artist at Home in America: Michael Mardikes’ Photographs of Thomas Hart Benton at the Kansas City Public Library (November 20, 2021-May 15, 2022)
One night in late 2020, as Nick Vedros was leaving the home of his Aunt Myrt and Uncle Michael Mardikes, his aunt suddenly asked him, “What are we going to do with all the negatives?” The noted Kansas City photographer was not sure what his 89-year-old aunt was talking about, until she handed him a notebook filled with more than 1000 negatives chronicling Thomas Hart Benton at home and in his studio. They had been filed away for almost seven decades.
This startling discovery was the inspiration for the exhibition, “An Artist at Home in America: Michael Mardikes’ Photographs of Thomas Hart Benton” on view at the Kansas City Public Library Central Library. The exhibition is a must-see, not just for fans of Thomas Hart Benton but for devotees of exemplary photojournalism.
Of the 1,080 photographs Mardikes took, only four had been published in an article he wrote for “This Month in Kansas City” magazine in 1966. The others were never printed, nor was their existence common knowledge. Although Vedros had been aware of his uncle’s assignment with Benton, he was stunned to discover that so much additional material existed.
Vedros, who decided at age 12 to become a photographer himself after seeing his uncle’s work, was determined to organize an exhibition, and was especially interested in doing it as quickly as possible given his uncle’s advanced age and increasing frailty. Collaborating with Dan White, a photographer, master printer and friend since their time together at the University of Missouri journalism school, they selected 34 images to be printed and framed, researching the details with Steve Sitton, the director of the Thomas Hart Benton Home and Studio Historic Site.
Michael Mardikes had had a brief career as a commercial photographer before going on to work in management at the Ford Motor Company and later at UMKC. He made the acquaintance of Benton through Eugene Pyle, a former student of Benton’s and Mardikes’ photography instructor at the Art Institute. In 1955, Benton asked Mardikes to photograph him; Mardikes visited Benton 35 to 40 times, over a period of a few months in late 1955 and early 1956. Sitton told Vedros that not only was Mardikes’ amount of access incredible, but that the resulting body of work was unmatched.
As the project progressed, Benton became focused on a mural commission for the River Club in 1956. Henry Adams, preeminent Benton scholar and former curator at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, provided some context for this particular work: “The commission to paint ‘Traders at Westport Landing’ came at a low point in Benton’s career, 1956, and initiated the late phase of Benton’s mural paintings. It was the first of a series of murals depicting the exploration and settlement of the west, which culminated in the Truman Library mural, which was completed in 1962. All these murals feature trading and friendly contact with the Indians, rather than conflict, and are arresting in their bright color and meticulous rendering of carefully researched detail. The River Club, which commissioned ‘Traders at Westport Landing,’ overlooks the Missouri River and has a panoramic view very similar to the one in Benton’s painting.”
This group of black and white photos not only documents the artist’s working process but also reveals other aspects of his daily life: one memorable image reveals Rita Benton massaging her husband’s stiff shoulders after a long day in his studio. Other images show members of the River Club board visiting Benton’s studio to check on the progress of the mural. One charming image captures a candid moment of Rita Benton and Myrt Mardikes as they collaborated in the Benton kitchen making chicken kapama for their husbands.
Nan Chisholm
Nan Chisholm is an art consultant and appraiser of 19th- and 20th-century paintings. After a long association with Sotheby’s, she founded her own business in 2003. She has appeared as a fine art appraiser on “Antiques Roadshow” since its inception in 1995.
- Creator:Michael Mardikes (1927 - 2021, American)
- Creation Year:1956
- Dimensions:Height: 14.5 in (36.83 cm)Width: 14.5 in (36.83 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Framing:Frame IncludedFraming Options Available
- Condition:
- Gallery Location:Kansas City, MO
- Reference Number:
undefined
About the Seller
5.0
Platinum Seller
These expertly vetted sellers are 1stDibs' most experienced sellers and are rated highest by our customers.
Established in 2016
1stDibs seller since 2017
958 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: <1 hour
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Kansas City, MO
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 7 days of delivery.
More From This SellerView All
- Benton walking dog (Thomas Hart Benton Plate #6)Located in Kansas City, MOMichael Mardikes Benton walking dog (Thomas Hart Benton Plate #6) Year: 1956, 2021 Pigment Ink on Archival Paper Photograph Image Size: 19x13.5 in Paper Size: 22x17 in Edition: Unique Monogrammed by hand Label signed and numbered by Estate Representative COA provided by Authorizing Body Additional COA provided by representing Gallery Ref.: 924802-908 Image included in the exhibition An Artist at Home in America: Michael Mardikes’ Photographs of Thomas Hart Benton at the Kansas City Public Library (November 20, 2021-May 15, 2022) One night in late 2020, as Nick Vedros was leaving the home of his Aunt Myrt and Uncle Michael Mardikes, his aunt suddenly asked him, “What are we going to do with all the negatives?” The noted Kansas City photographer was not sure what his 89-year-old aunt was talking about, until she handed him a notebook filled with more than 1000 negatives chronicling Thomas Hart Benton at home and in his studio. They had been filed away for almost seven decades. This startling discovery was the inspiration for the exhibition, “An Artist at Home in America: Michael Mardikes’ Photographs of Thomas Hart Benton” on view at the Kansas City Public Library Central Library. The exhibition is a must-see, not just for fans of Thomas Hart Benton but for devotees of exemplary photojournalism. Of the 1,080 photographs Mardikes took, only four had been published in an article he wrote for “This Month in Kansas City” magazine in 1966. The others were never printed, nor was their existence common knowledge. Although Vedros had been aware of his uncle’s assignment with Benton, he was stunned to discover that so much additional material existed. Vedros, who decided at age 12 to become a photographer himself after seeing his uncle’s work, was determined to organize an exhibition, and was especially interested in doing it as quickly as possible given his uncle’s advanced age and increasing frailty. Collaborating with Dan White, a photographer, master printer and friend since their time together at the University of Missouri journalism school, they selected 34 images to be printed and framed, researching the details with Steve Sitton, the director of the Thomas Hart Benton Home and Studio Historic Site. Michael Mardikes had had a brief career as a commercial photographer before going on to work in management at the Ford Motor Company and later at UMKC. He made the acquaintance of Benton through Eugene Pyle, a former student of Benton’s and Mardikes’ photography instructor at the Art Institute. In 1955, Benton asked Mardikes to photograph him; Mardikes visited Benton 35 to 40 times, over a period of a few months in late 1955 and early 1956. Sitton told Vedros that not only was Mardikes’ amount of access incredible, but that the resulting body of work was unmatched. As the project progressed, Benton became focused on a mural commission for the River Club in 1956. Henry Adams, preeminent Benton scholar and former curator at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, provided some context for this particular work: “The commission to paint ‘Traders at Westport Landing’ came at a low point in Benton’s career, 1956, and initiated the late phase of Benton’s mural paintings. It was the first of a series of murals depicting the exploration and settlement of the west, which culminated in the Truman Library mural, which was completed in 1962. All these murals feature trading and friendly contact with the Indians, rather than conflict, and are arresting in their bright color and meticulous rendering of carefully researched detail. The River Club, which commissioned ‘Traders at Westport Landing,’ overlooks the Missouri River and has a panoramic view very similar to the one in Benton’s painting.” This group of black and white photos not only documents the artist’s working process but also reveals other aspects of his daily life: one memorable image reveals Rita Benton massaging her husband’s stiff shoulders after a long day in his studio. Other images show members of the River Club board visiting Benton’s studio to check on the progress of the mural. One charming image captures a candid moment of Rita Benton and Myrt Mardikes as they collaborated in the Benton kitchen making chicken kapama for their husbands. Nan Chisholm Nan Chisholm is an art consultant and appraiser of 19th- and 20th-century paintings. After a long association with Sotheby’s, she founded her own business in 2003. She has appeared as a fine art appraiser...Category
1950s Modern Photography
MaterialsArchival Paper, Archival Pigment
- Behind Smoke (Thomas Hart Benton Plate #29)Located in Kansas City, MOMichael Mardikes Behind Smoke (Thomas Hart Benton Plate #29) Year: 1956, 2021 Archival Pigment Print on Premium Rag Image Size: 13.5x19 in Paper Size: 17x22 in Edition: 7 Monogrammed...Category
1950s Modern Portrait Photography
MaterialsArchival Pigment, Archival Paper
- River Club Unveiling Event (Thomas Hart Benton Plate #31)Located in Kansas City, MOMichael Mardikes River Club Unveiling Event (Thomas Hart Benton Plate #31) Year: 1956, 2021 Pigment Ink on Archival Paper Photograph Image Size: 13.5x19 in Paper Size: 17x22 in Editi...Category
1950s Modern Figurative Photography
MaterialsArchival Paper, Archival Pigment
- Color Test (Thomas Hart Benton Plate #3)Located in Kansas City, MOMichael Mardikes Color Test (Thomas Hart Benton Plate #3) Year: 1956, 2021 Pigment Ink on Archival Paper Photograph Image Size: 9x12 in Paper Size: 11x14 in...Category
1950s Modern Photography
MaterialsArchival Paper, Archival Pigment
- Boy with Mirror (Thomas Hart Benton Plate #26)Located in Kansas City, MOMichael Mardikes Boy with Mirror (Thomas Hart Benton Plate #26) Year: 1956, 2021 Pigment Ink on Archival Paper Photograph Image Size: 19x13.5 in Paper Size: 22x17 in Edition: Unique Monogrammed by hand Label signed and numbered by Estate Representative COA provided by Authorizing Body Additional COA provided by representing Gallery Ref.: 924802-909 Image included in the exhibition An Artist at Home in America: Michael Mardikes’ Photographs of Thomas Hart Benton at the Kansas City Public Library (November 20, 2021-May 15, 2022) One night in late 2020, as Nick Vedros was leaving the home of his Aunt Myrt and Uncle Michael Mardikes, his aunt suddenly asked him, “What are we going to do with all the negatives?” The noted Kansas City photographer was not sure what his 89-year-old aunt was talking about, until she handed him a notebook filled with more than 1000 negatives chronicling Thomas Hart Benton at home and in his studio. They had been filed away for almost seven decades. This startling discovery was the inspiration for the exhibition, “An Artist at Home in America: Michael Mardikes’ Photographs of Thomas Hart Benton” on view at the Kansas City Public Library Central Library. The exhibition is a must-see, not just for fans of Thomas Hart Benton but for devotees of exemplary photojournalism. Of the 1,080 photographs Mardikes took, only four had been published in an article he wrote for “This Month in Kansas City” magazine in 1966. The others were never printed, nor was their existence common knowledge. Although Vedros had been aware of his uncle’s assignment with Benton, he was stunned to discover that so much additional material existed. Vedros, who decided at age 12 to become a photographer himself after seeing his uncle’s work, was determined to organize an exhibition, and was especially interested in doing it as quickly as possible given his uncle’s advanced age and increasing frailty. Collaborating with Dan White, a photographer, master printer and friend since their time together at the University of Missouri journalism school, they selected 34 images to be printed and framed, researching the details with Steve Sitton, the director of the Thomas Hart Benton Home and Studio Historic Site. Michael Mardikes had had a brief career as a commercial photographer before going on to work in management at the Ford Motor Company and later at UMKC. He made the acquaintance of Benton through Eugene Pyle, a former student of Benton’s and Mardikes’ photography instructor at the Art Institute. In 1955, Benton asked Mardikes to photograph him; Mardikes visited Benton 35 to 40 times, over a period of a few months in late 1955 and early 1956. Sitton told Vedros that not only was Mardikes’ amount of access incredible, but that the resulting body of work was unmatched. As the project progressed, Benton became focused on a mural commission for the River Club in 1956. Henry Adams, preeminent Benton scholar and former curator at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, provided some context for this particular work: “The commission to paint ‘Traders at Westport Landing’ came at a low point in Benton’s career, 1956, and initiated the late phase of Benton’s mural paintings. It was the first of a series of murals depicting the exploration and settlement of the west, which culminated in the Truman Library mural, which was completed in 1962. All these murals feature trading and friendly contact with the Indians, rather than conflict, and are arresting in their bright color and meticulous rendering of carefully researched detail. The River Club, which commissioned ‘Traders at Westport Landing,’ overlooks the Missouri River and has a panoramic view very similar to the one in Benton’s painting.” This group of black and white photos not only documents the artist’s working process but also reveals other aspects of his daily life: one memorable image reveals Rita Benton massaging her husband’s stiff shoulders after a long day in his studio. Other images show members of the River Club board visiting Benton’s studio to check on the progress of the mural. One charming image captures a candid moment of Rita Benton and Myrt Mardikes as they collaborated in the Benton kitchen making chicken kapama for their husbands. Nan Chisholm Nan Chisholm is an art consultant and appraiser of 19th- and 20th-century paintings. After a long association with Sotheby’s, she founded her own business in 2003. She has appeared as a fine art appraiser...Category
1950s Modern Photography
MaterialsArchival Paper, Archival Pigment
- Overall with Paintings (Thomas Hart Benton Plate #24)Located in Kansas City, MOMichael Mardikes Overall with Paintings (Thomas Hart Benton Plate #24) Year: 1956, 2021 Pigment Ink on Archival Paper Photograph Size: 19x13.5 in Paper Size: 22x17 in Edition: 2 Sign...Category
1950s Modern Photography
MaterialsArchival Paper, Archival Pigment
You May Also Like
- Flower- Signed limited edition art print, Black white nature photo, ContemporaryBy Ian SandersonLocated in Barcelona, BarcelonaFlower - Signed limited edition archival pigment print, 1989 - Edition of 5 This image was captured on film. The negative was scanned creating a digital file which was then prin...Category
1980s Modern Black and White Photography
MaterialsPhotographic Film, Archival Paper, Black and White, Giclée, Pigment, Arc...
- Les Pyrénées - Free delivery-Black white photo, Limited edition print, LandscapeBy Sam ThomasLocated in Barcelona, BarcelonaLes Pyrénées - Limited edition pigment print - Limited Editions of 15 Mountain between France and Spain This is an Archival Pigment print on fiber based paper ( Hahnemühle Photo ...Category
Early 2000s Modern Landscape Photography
MaterialsArchival Paper, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Black and White, ...
- Floral Signed limited edition still life print, Oversized close-up - FlowerHeadBy Ian SandersonLocated in Barcelona, BarcelonaAn original signed archival pigment print on Hahnemühle Photo Rag® Baryta 315 gsm paper by Scottish artist Ian Sanderson (1951- 2020) titled ‘ FlowerHead 1‘ who was captured on film...Category
1980s Modern Black and White Photography
MaterialsPhotographic Film, Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Black and White, ...
- Signed limited edition Figurative photo, Black white man, Homoerotic - Mathew 2By Ian SandersonLocated in Barcelona, BarcelonaAn original signed archival pigment print on Hahnemühle Photo Rag® Baryta 315 gsm paper by Scottish artist Ian Sanderson (1951- 2020) titled ‘ Mathew 2 ‘ who was captured on film in...Category
1980s Modern Black and White Photography
MaterialsPhotographic Film, Archival Paper, Black and White, Giclée, Pigment, Arc...
- Signed limited edition nude photography, Contemporary black white, Sensual NadiaBy Ian SandersonLocated in Barcelona, BarcelonaNadia - Signed limited edition archival pigment print - Edition of 5 Sexy photo shoot of a woman in profile, hunched over an old dentist's chair with a su...Category
1980s Modern Black and White Photography
MaterialsPhotographic Film, Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Black and White, ...
- Concorde- Limited edition contemporary art print, City, Black white, MouvementBy Sam ThomasLocated in Barcelona, BarcelonaConcorde - Limited edition pigment print - Limited Editions of 5 Paris under the snow, France, 2005 Signed + numbered by artist with certificate of authenticity. Free delivery Archival pigment print available sizes ( Image size , the white margin is not counted) : 33.3 x 50 cm / 12.99 x 19.68 in. - Edition of 5 50 x 75 cm / 19.68 x 29.53 in. - Edition of 5 67.7 x 101.60 cm / 26,373 x 40 in. - Edition of 5 This print that is being offered is a high-quality Archival Pigment print, which has been printed on fiber-based paper. The paper used is Hahnemühle Photo Rag® Baryta 315 gsm, which is a premium quality paper that is acid-free and lignin-free. This ensures that the print will remain in pristine condition for years to come. The Hahnemühle Photo Rag® Baryta paper is a museum-quality paper that is highly resistant to aging. It is a popular alternative to analogue baryta paper, which is known for its ability to produce rich, deep blacks and vibrant colors. The Hahnemühle Photo Rag® Baryta paper is no different, as it produces stunningly vivid and lifelike prints. Overall, this Archival Pigment print is a stunning piece of art that is sure to impress. The combination of high-quality paper and inks ensures that the print will remain in pristine condition for many years, making it a great investment for any art collector or enthusiast. Sam...Category
Early 2000s Modern Landscape Photography
MaterialsPhotographic Paper, Archival Paper, Black and White, Pigment, Archival P...