Thomas Hart Benton Auction Prices and Value Guide

Thomas Hart Benton auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 4,205 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.

Thomas Hart Benton auction prices: quick answer

Thomas Hart Benton auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.

Artist
Thomas Hart Benton
Source records
4,205
Market update
2026-02-06

Thomas Hart Benton market snapshot

Thomas Hart Benton shows very deep auction liquidity with 1,998 tracked lots. Median realized sale is around $2,125. Category concentration is still broad or sparse. Last 12 months recorded 139 sales. Latest recorded sale: 2026-01-14.

Realized price distribution

  • Under $1,000 (11.0% · 195 sales)
  • $1,000 to $10,000 (78.1% · 1,380 sales)
  • $10,000+ (10.8% · 191 sales)
Median sale (last 12 months)
$1,875
Sales recorded (last 12 months)
139
Median shift vs prior year
+4.2%
Latest recorded sale
2026-01-14

Artist context

About Thomas Hart Benton

Born

1889

Died

1975

Nationality

American

Also known as

Benton, Tom, Benton, Thomas H.

Thomas Hart Benton (1889–1975) was an American painter, muralist, and printmaker recognized as a leading figure of the American Regionalist movement. Born in Neosho, Missouri, Benton studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Académie Julian in Paris before developing his signature style: fluid, sculptural figures drawn from everyday American life. Alongside Grant Wood and John Steuart Curry, Benton championed a representational art that depicted rural labor, folk traditions, and mythological narratives rooted in the United States. His large-scale murals — including commissions for the New School for Social Research and the Missouri State Capitol — brought his work to wide public audiences. Benton also taught at the Kansas City Art Institute, where Jackson Pollock was among his students. Over a career spanning more than five decades, Benton produced paintings, lithographs, drawings, and sculptures that remain central to the story of twentieth-century American art.

American Regionalismoil paintingmurallithographprintmakingAmerican everyday liferural and working-class scenesmythological and allegorical narratives

Common works and media

Benton's output spans oil paintings on canvas and panel, large-scale murals (both in-situ and transferred), lithographic prints in numbered editions, pen-and-ink and pencil drawings, watercolors, and occasional sculptures. Common subjects include rural agricultural scenes, laborers, musicians, folk and mythological narratives, Southern and Midwestern landscapes, and historical allegories. Lithographs such as those from the 'Year of Peril' series and other editions are among the most frequently encountered Benton works at auction.

Market and appraisal context

Thomas Hart Benton's auction market is broad and liquid, with over 2,000 lots recorded since 1992 and consistent annual volume. The median price across all recorded lots is $2,100, reflecting the large share of lithographic prints in the market. Original oil paintings command substantially higher results — a small oil-on-panel landscape realized $119,700 at Christie's in April 2024, and the overall record stands at $5,580,000. Lithographs form the most frequently traded segment, with pencil-signed examples typically realizing $1,400–$7,000 depending on subject, edition, and condition. Iconic lithograph titles such as 'Departure of the Joads' (1939) and 'The Race' (1942) have recently achieved $14,000 and $8,000 respectively at Eldred's. Offset lithographs and later reproductions trade at the lower end of the range ($700–$1,100) or may fail to sell. Works on paper — watercolors and drawings — occupy an intermediate tier, with a recent watercolor and wash 'Square Dance' achieving $6,500. Auction volume increased from 167 lots in the prior 12-month period to 192 in the most recent 12 months, indicating sustained or growing collector interest.

Auction categories and appraisal factors

Appraisal caveats

  • Attribution should be confirmed through catalogue raisonné or scholar review; Benton's prolific output and workshop practices mean unsigned or lightly documented works require careful authentication.
  • Lithographic reproductions of Benton paintings circulate widely; collectors should verify whether a work is an original print or a later reproduction.

Evidence

Sources for artist context

This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.

Source-grounded artist Markdown

Recent sale records

Selected public auction records currently in the Appraisily lot index. Use them as market context, then request a formal appraisal before you sell, insure, or donate.

Don't price your Thomas Hart Benton from these lots

Data basis

This page is built from Appraisily's public auction market index. Private transactions, incomplete sale feeds, and attribution changes may not be fully represented.

LLM-readable Markdown summary for Thomas Hart Benton

LLM summary index · LLM full index

Artist value FAQ

How much is Thomas Hart Benton worth?

Comparable public auction sales are the best starting point, but final value depends on the specific artwork, condition, size, medium, provenance, and attribution confidence.

Can Appraisily value my Thomas Hart Benton artwork?

Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.