The mural Achelous and Hercules (1947) by Missouri native Thomas Hart Benton (April 15, 1889 – January 19, 1975) was commissioned in 1946 for display at the Harzfeld’s department store in Kansas City. For the mural, Benton chose a theme from Greek mythology, the story of Achelous and Hercules, which he found in Bulfinch’s Mythology – a book that recounted classical myths and stories from different eras. The myth explains the origins of agriculture: Achelous, the river God took the form of an angry bull during flood season and traveled the earth tearing new channels with his horns. Hercules defeated Achelous by tearing off one his horns, and then the horn transformed into nature’s cornucopia – a symbol of abundance and nourishment in classical antiquity. The myth explains how the development of agriculture depends on the taming of rivers that overflow their banks and destroy croplands.

Along with Grant Wood and John Steuart Curry, Benton was at the forefront of the Regionalist art movement. His fluid, sculpted figures in his paintings showed everyday people in scenes of life in the United States.

Photo by Smithsonian American Art Museum