Where did Benton paint the mural?
The mural, entitled “Independence and the Opening of the West”, was painted at the Truman Library, much of which was accomplished from a 14 scaffold. b. How long did it take to complete? From conceptualization through completion, the mural took approximately two and a half years. Benton first turned out hundreds of sketches of figures and portions of the mural. He then sculpted a three-dimensional clay model, on a 2 by 4 board, depicting the figures that would eventually appear in the completed mural. He began to first apply paint to the canvas, at the Truman Library, on December 12, 1959. Benton utilized an acrylic polymer latex paint, which was applied on a special Belgian linen surface. A sealer was applied over the original paint on the plaster wall, to prevent “bleeding” action, and the linen was applied with a polyester adhesive. The linen was then covered with a liquid latex gesso to provide the painting ground. The mural occupies a space 19 by 32, and covers 495 square feet, an
