The Politics of Water in the Art of George Caleb Bingham and Thomas Hart Benton

Oct 7, 2025 – Aug 1, 2026
Where

William Guitar Little Missouri Gallery of Art

State Historical Society of Missouri

605 Elm St. Columbia

Water structures human life—nurturing crops and commerce, while sometimes unleashing deadly, storms, currents, and floods. In Missouri, the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers serve as vital trade arteries for the entire nation. This exhibition examines artworks by George Caleb Bingham and Thomas Hart Benton that celebrate the economic vitality of Missouri’s waterways but also suggest that the federal government can play a role in regulating them for the benefit of the American people.