Ringing the Indiana hall at Chicago's Century of Progress Exposition in 1933 was a bold and colourful cycle of paintings by American muralist Thomas Hart Benton depicting the social, economic and cultural history of the Hoosier state from the age of the Mound Builders to the 1930s and the early days of the Indianapolis 500. In creating this dramatic 250-foot mural, which has been permanently displayed on the Bloomington campus of Indiana Univeristy since 1940, Benton sought to creat an art that spoke to average citizens in a realist style. The first full-scale treatment of the history, method and significance of this important exemplar of American public art, Thomas Hart Benton and the Indiana Murals features a full-colour gatefold depicting the flow of the murals and a portfolio of colour reproductions of the 22 extant panels with interpretative texts. Accompanying essays discuss the history of the murals' creation and their installation at Indiana University, the visual narrative that Benton invented, the artist's method as seen in a series of preparatory drawings and a detailed account of their conservation.
A complete illustrated checklist of 88 related drawings enhances understanding of Benton's project. This beautifully designed celebration of Benton's Indiana murals should appeal to readers interested in Benton's work, Hoosier history and American public art.