What do you think?
Rate this book
Tom and Jack: The Intertwined Lives of Thomas Hart Benton and Jackson Pollock
A groundbreaking portrait of the intense personal and artistic relationship between Thomas Hart Benton and Jackson Pollock, revealing how their friendship changed American art.
The drip paintings of Jackson Pollock, trailblazing Abstract Expressionist, appear to be the polar opposite of Thomas Hart Benton’s highly figurative Americana. Yet the two men had a close and highly charged relationship dating from Pollock’s days as a student under Benton. Pollock’s first and only formal training came from Benton, and the older man soon became a surrogate father to Pollock. In true Oedipal fashion, Pollock even fell in love with Benton’s wife.
Pollock later broke away from his mentor artistically, rocketing to superstardom with his stunning drip compositions. But he never lost touch with Benton or his ideas—in fact, his breakthrough abstractions reveal a strong debt to Benton’s teachings. In an epic story that ranges from the cafés and salons of Gertrude Stein’s Paris to the highways of the American West, Henry Adams, acclaimed author of Eakins Revealed, unfolds a poignant personal drama that provides new insights into two of the greatest artists of the twentieth century.
The drip paintings of Jackson Pollock, trailblazing Abstract Expressionist, appear to be the polar opposite of Thomas Hart Benton’s highly figurative Americana. Yet the two men had a close and highly charged relationship dating from Pollock’s days as a student under Benton. Pollock’s first and only formal training came from Benton, and the older man soon became a surrogate father to Pollock. In true Oedipal fashion, Pollock even fell in love with Benton’s wife.
Pollock later broke away from his mentor artistically, rocketing to superstardom with his stunning drip compositions. But he never lost touch with Benton or his ideas—in fact, his breakthrough abstractions reveal a strong debt to Benton’s teachings. In an epic story that ranges from the cafés and salons of Gertrude Stein’s Paris to the highways of the American West, Henry Adams, acclaimed author of Eakins Revealed, unfolds a poignant personal drama that provides new insights into two of the greatest artists of the twentieth century.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published November 12, 2009
15 people are currently reading
151 people want to read
About the author
Henry Adams
32 books5 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Henry Adams is an art historian and professor of art history.
Henry Adams is an art historian and professor of art history.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
March 16, 2011
Excellent read! As a docent I have read about many artists and art periods. But I have never learned so much about Benton and Pollock as I did in this well written book. Beginning with the "lumps and bumps" of Rodin's The Man with a Broken Nose to Matisse's drawing of the blue nude to MacDonald-Wright's Synchronism to Thomas Hart Benton's rhythmic "hollow and bumps" to Pollock's visual rhythm of drip paintings. But also the father-son relationship between Benton and Pollock. And the major change not only with Modern Art but also that NYC became the art capital of the world. So many artists, art critics, curators like Alfred Barr, wealthy patrons -- Peggy Guggenheim, also Abby Aldrich Rockefeller who opened MOMA in 1929 just days after the stock market crashed. Great book!
February 17, 2013
A thoroughly enjoyable and interesting book. As an armchair art enthusiast and Pollock fan, there was much that I learned from this book. My main quibble is perhaps with the title, I found it a too narrow definition. Surely Pollock is the focus of the book and there are many notable facts and anecdotes about Benton and Benton's influence on Pollock. But I found some of the most interesting segments of the story having to do with the greater environment and related contemporaries with whom both artists interacted.
I think most readers with an interest in Benton, Pollock or modern 20th century American art more broadly would find this to be a worthwhile read.
I think most readers with an interest in Benton, Pollock or modern 20th century American art more broadly would find this to be a worthwhile read.
March 23, 2011
I read this book because it was chosen for a book club read, and initially I was really disappointed as I’m not particularly interested in Benton or Pollock’s art work, but I was pleasantly surprised. It is very well written and fairly readable. Reading it did give me more of an appreciation for Benton’s work, and perhaps Pollock’s too. I think anyone who really likes Pollock or abstract expressionism would probably have enjoyed it a lot more than I did. Adams seems to be making some pretty ground breaking assertions about Pollock’s art and may be changing future scholarship on it.
June 28, 2025
When exploring American art of the 1930s, one figure keeps resurfacing, and inspires anything but sympathy: Thomas Hart Benton. His idea of aggressive masculinity, his endless attacks on modernism, his hatred of homosexuals who, after Paris, were allegedly “trying to invade New York”: he has always seemed to me like someone fighting a losing battle against his own time. Especially when compared, as often happens, with the openness of figures like Stieglitz or Stuart Davis, who supported the birth of a truly modern American art. A raging, homophobic "hillbilly", who thankfully was pushed aside. At least, that’s what I used to think—before reading this book.
Pollock, on the other hand, is someone I’ve never really understood. I’ve tried, more than once, but without success. So I thought this might be the perfect opportunity to approach him differently: a biography intertwined with the life of someone who, although controversial, feels to me more intelligible.
Let me skip straight to the conclusion. I still don’t understand Pollock, and in fact, an overview of his life only makes him even more unlikeable. I think that’s inevitable. Sure, it becomes clear at a certain point that he was dealing with a serious medical condition, most likely what we would now call bipolar disorder. And many of his worst actions can be explained by extreme alcoholism. It’s the classic unresolved dilemma of separating the artist from the work.
Not that the author didn’t try to help me understand Pollock better—quite the opposite. His ideas and perspectives on the artist are genuinely innovative, but I still see Pollock as an artist who can only be understood with a critical apparatus close at hand.
Thomas Hart Benton, by contrast, was completely re-evaluated in my eyes, and it’s clear this was one of the book’s goals. Chapter after chapter, the author presents the negative critiques that once surrounded Benton: this “dark monster” whose name one shouldn’t even utter if one wished to preserve their credibility as a connoisseur. Sure, at times I found the author’s stance a bit extreme, but it’s always useful to hear the other side, and this reading does allow for a sharper, more nuanced understanding of Benton’s work. I still can’t say I feel much sympathy for him, but at least I now have a fuller picture of the man.
As for the book’s central theme—Benton’s influence on Pollock—it serves as a kind of step-by-step dictionary, allowing readers to reinterpret Pollock’s entire artistic path through the lens of his teacher. A lesson in life and art, in how to be a man, an artist, an American. From Benton, Pollock learned the technical foundations of his work, the macho, swaggering methods; he copied many of his choices, from the retreat to East Hampton (Benton had Martha’s Vineyard) to the on the road journeys, almost retracing the exact same itinerary.
So yes, the book is about the influence of Benton, as the title claims, but it might more accurately be said to be about Synchromism. That is, in fact, the book’s unspoken protagonist. From Benton’s years in Paris with Macdonald-Wright and Russell, according to the author, everything begins—and this idea is repeated, page after page, all the way to the end. The movement itself has roots in fertile 1910s Paris: in Gertrude Stein’s circle, in the sculpture of Matisse, in Cézanne and Picasso, in Delaunay’s Orphism. A continual looking backward, with ideas and experiences passed on from one generation to the next—from Paris to New York, decade after decade.
At a certain point, Synchromism even started to irritate me: if this is the key, I wondered, why not simply title the book Pollock, Benton, and Synchromism? Especially because the narrative keeps jumping back and forth, and one easily risks getting lost.
That said, it’s important to underline the book’s real, declared objective: the intertwined lives of the two artists. Outside of that, not much is explored in depth, except for some often-overlooked aspects. Which is certainly useful, but I’m still left wanting more on Benton (and, if I had the interest, on Pollock too). Then again, there’s a wealth of material available on both. The book clearly focuses on a very specific angle, probably meant for readers already familiar with the individual careers of the two artists—or for those who don’t feel the need to go deeper. I do feel that desire, but I’m not sure it’s necessary for understanding what this book wants to say.
Pollock marked a turning point in American art history, and his influences have been endlessly scrutinized (just think of the recent show, and its accompanying catalog, at the Musée Picasso in Paris, dedicated to the heavyweight’s influence on the young American). This book broadens that view, offering new material for a more complete analysis.
But does it succeed? Does this deep dive into sources and inspirations shed new light on the work of the “greatest living painter in the United States”? Yes, certainly. But is that light actually useful in understanding him? That I’m not so sure about, because the secret of Pollock, despite the mountains of pages written about him, always seems to lie somewhere else.
Pollock, on the other hand, is someone I’ve never really understood. I’ve tried, more than once, but without success. So I thought this might be the perfect opportunity to approach him differently: a biography intertwined with the life of someone who, although controversial, feels to me more intelligible.
Let me skip straight to the conclusion. I still don’t understand Pollock, and in fact, an overview of his life only makes him even more unlikeable. I think that’s inevitable. Sure, it becomes clear at a certain point that he was dealing with a serious medical condition, most likely what we would now call bipolar disorder. And many of his worst actions can be explained by extreme alcoholism. It’s the classic unresolved dilemma of separating the artist from the work.
Not that the author didn’t try to help me understand Pollock better—quite the opposite. His ideas and perspectives on the artist are genuinely innovative, but I still see Pollock as an artist who can only be understood with a critical apparatus close at hand.
Thomas Hart Benton, by contrast, was completely re-evaluated in my eyes, and it’s clear this was one of the book’s goals. Chapter after chapter, the author presents the negative critiques that once surrounded Benton: this “dark monster” whose name one shouldn’t even utter if one wished to preserve their credibility as a connoisseur. Sure, at times I found the author’s stance a bit extreme, but it’s always useful to hear the other side, and this reading does allow for a sharper, more nuanced understanding of Benton’s work. I still can’t say I feel much sympathy for him, but at least I now have a fuller picture of the man.
As for the book’s central theme—Benton’s influence on Pollock—it serves as a kind of step-by-step dictionary, allowing readers to reinterpret Pollock’s entire artistic path through the lens of his teacher. A lesson in life and art, in how to be a man, an artist, an American. From Benton, Pollock learned the technical foundations of his work, the macho, swaggering methods; he copied many of his choices, from the retreat to East Hampton (Benton had Martha’s Vineyard) to the on the road journeys, almost retracing the exact same itinerary.
So yes, the book is about the influence of Benton, as the title claims, but it might more accurately be said to be about Synchromism. That is, in fact, the book’s unspoken protagonist. From Benton’s years in Paris with Macdonald-Wright and Russell, according to the author, everything begins—and this idea is repeated, page after page, all the way to the end. The movement itself has roots in fertile 1910s Paris: in Gertrude Stein’s circle, in the sculpture of Matisse, in Cézanne and Picasso, in Delaunay’s Orphism. A continual looking backward, with ideas and experiences passed on from one generation to the next—from Paris to New York, decade after decade.
At a certain point, Synchromism even started to irritate me: if this is the key, I wondered, why not simply title the book Pollock, Benton, and Synchromism? Especially because the narrative keeps jumping back and forth, and one easily risks getting lost.
That said, it’s important to underline the book’s real, declared objective: the intertwined lives of the two artists. Outside of that, not much is explored in depth, except for some often-overlooked aspects. Which is certainly useful, but I’m still left wanting more on Benton (and, if I had the interest, on Pollock too). Then again, there’s a wealth of material available on both. The book clearly focuses on a very specific angle, probably meant for readers already familiar with the individual careers of the two artists—or for those who don’t feel the need to go deeper. I do feel that desire, but I’m not sure it’s necessary for understanding what this book wants to say.
Pollock marked a turning point in American art history, and his influences have been endlessly scrutinized (just think of the recent show, and its accompanying catalog, at the Musée Picasso in Paris, dedicated to the heavyweight’s influence on the young American). This book broadens that view, offering new material for a more complete analysis.
But does it succeed? Does this deep dive into sources and inspirations shed new light on the work of the “greatest living painter in the United States”? Yes, certainly. But is that light actually useful in understanding him? That I’m not so sure about, because the secret of Pollock, despite the mountains of pages written about him, always seems to lie somewhere else.
March 14, 2021
The author has written a biography of Thomas Hart Benton and sees a strong influence of Benton's American Regional paintings on Pollock's famed drip paintings. This seems like a stretch at first, but Adams makes a good case. Pollock actually studied with and admired Benton as a father figure, so the influence is not so far fetched. Adams also credits a little known movement called Synchromism as key to understanding both styles. There is plenty of anecdotal color in the biographies of these outsized figures in the art world. It is also an interesting depiction of the rise of American Abstract Expressionism and its surpassing of European preeminence in 20th century art. This book is not for everyone. However, if you are into 20th century American art, and curious about Pollock's success with drip paintings, this is a worthy addition to the subject.
September 16, 2020
Fascinating read! It is one of those books that I did not want to end. Synchromism was the greatest epiphany. I had never heard of it. Since reading the book, I'm dabbling in art by making synchromistic drip paintings. Loving it!
May 4, 2025
Not a book about Tom and Jack at all. A very boring look at a bunch of stuff I don't care about. Where it did get to Pollock, much of it was biased and wrong. Not impressive.
November 8, 2013
While it seems likely that Henry Adams’ assertion that Thomas Hart Benton’s influence on Jackson Pollock’s art lasted throughout his career is controversial in the world of art history, Adams does a fine job of supporting this interpretation in “Tom and Jack: The Intertwined Lives of Thomas Hart Benton and Jackson Pollock.” Part art history, part biography, the well-researched “Tom and Jack” follows the lives and influences on these two major American artists. Adams does a fine job of explaining modern art movements such as Synchromism and their impact. Since Pollock was Benton’s student as well as long-term friend, Adams carefully explores their relationship’s evolution as Pollock’s fame took off in the American art world. And if ever there was a cautionary tale about the cumulative effects of alcohol addiction on an artist, this treatment of Pollock is it. What disappoints and ultimately undermines this work is the lack of images of many major Benton and Pollock works that are so carefully analyzed in the text. While probably due to the cost of licensing fees, such omissions require readers to flip back and forth between the book and the Internet to consider Adams’ thoughtful, incisive comments. Maybe this was unavoidable, but it’s a real blemish. Recommended with a caveat.
August 6, 2011
Adams uses a very wide canvas in linking the American Muralist Thomas Hart Benton and the Abstract Expressionist Jackson Pollack. Pollack studied under Benton and remained friends until Pollack death. The intriguing aspect of this mentorship/friendship is how different and difficult both men were. Adams paints with a large palette; using Cubism, Synchromism and Surrealism as links in the chain binding these to artists. Rodin, Mattisse, Picasso, Orozco and Mondrian are all influences.
Marxist polemics, Navajo sand-painting, Jungian psychotherapy, the likes of Gertrude Stein and Peggy Guggenheim are used to make the interwining of these masters possible. After a short period of fame
and popularity, Benton feel out of favor (and is still generally disparaged) due to his perceived conservativism and provincalness (almost other criticisms). While Pollack, a truly troubled man, remains THE American Master of Abstract Expressionism. Only having a moderate background in Art History, I did find getting through the book a bit of a slough, but well worth the effort. Dense, well-written and educational. A must read for anyone interested in a seminal period in American Art and Modern Art in general
Marxist polemics, Navajo sand-painting, Jungian psychotherapy, the likes of Gertrude Stein and Peggy Guggenheim are used to make the interwining of these masters possible. After a short period of fame
and popularity, Benton feel out of favor (and is still generally disparaged) due to his perceived conservativism and provincalness (almost other criticisms). While Pollack, a truly troubled man, remains THE American Master of Abstract Expressionism. Only having a moderate background in Art History, I did find getting through the book a bit of a slough, but well worth the effort. Dense, well-written and educational. A must read for anyone interested in a seminal period in American Art and Modern Art in general
December 9, 2016
What a thorough look at both artists--Henry Adams presents some startling facts and insights to the American art history world here! Most surprising to learn is that Jackson Pollock was in touch with mentor Thomas Hart Benton until a few days before he died in the auto accident. Neither men actually ever "disowned" one another, and seemed to respect the other's art-making. Pollock in his underlying composition emulated Benton's early lessons (especially spiraling movement around a vertical axis) and Benton always was proud to point out what he taught Pollock when the big abstract-expressionist pieces were much publicized...
Adams' explication of what both artists owed to early synchromism is quite illuminating, too. 19-teens Paris colorists that based composition/color arrangements on human body musculature and movement got Benton started on his own "realism" trajectory, but the lessons were essential to his development of his mantra of "the hollow and the bump" of visual relationships and rhythms.
Added bonus, some facts on how artist Boardman Robinson (Benton's NYC mentor who relocated to Colorado Springs) taught drawing.
Adams' explication of what both artists owed to early synchromism is quite illuminating, too. 19-teens Paris colorists that based composition/color arrangements on human body musculature and movement got Benton started on his own "realism" trajectory, but the lessons were essential to his development of his mantra of "the hollow and the bump" of visual relationships and rhythms.
Added bonus, some facts on how artist Boardman Robinson (Benton's NYC mentor who relocated to Colorado Springs) taught drawing.
June 5, 2013
I got a little lost in some parts with the art theory and analysis, but overall, I'm even more pleased with this book than I thought I would be. Initially, I was worried that the author would be straining to make tenuous connections between Thomas Hart Benton and Jackson Pollock, but instead, he proves that there was a very real and strong bond between teacher and student that lasted up until Pollock's death. Even better, the book carefully examines all of Benton's and Pollock's influences, so it's a richly rewarding trip through 20th century modern art. As a result of this enjoyable read, I've added to my summer plans a trip to the Nelson-Atkins museum in Kansas City to see Benton's work!
June 1, 2016
Chiefly concerned with tracing Pollock's artistic influences, with who and what shaped his work. Adams argues that the most important influences were filtered through his first and most significant mentor, Thomas Hart Benton. Through Benton, the teacher who provided him with his first serious instruction, Pollock absorbed elements of Synchronism, modernism, Jungian symbolism, compositional practice, creating movement, the manipulation of space and volume, the use of colour. What Adams really succeeded in interesting me in is Benton. about whom I knew absolutely nothing and about whose work I would now like to know more.
August 25, 2014
Although this is quite a dense book, I found it very interesting since I knew quite a lot about Thomas Hart Benton's paintings that were in museums, Harzfelds' department store in KC, the Missouri State Capitol, etc., and I saw them a lot during our 25 years in Kansas City. I did not know much about his life, however, or about either the paintings and life of Jackson Pollock. My book club reviewed this book in a gorgeous, airy, studio of a Fayetteville artist, George Dombeck - this was a perfect space to discuss this book, and I appreciated it even more after the discussion.
March 20, 2011
This book is filled with the intertwining biographies of mainly two men. Thomas Hart Benton and Jackson Pollock.
To my surprise, I found I was more interested in Mr. Benton than the one I had heard of. Life was very small yet, very worldly, in the early part of the 20th century. You found Emerson and Faulkner traveling the pages with both these artists.
Mr. Adams writes a very readable biography and I can say, I enjoyed learning of these American Artists and their 'art.'
To my surprise, I found I was more interested in Mr. Benton than the one I had heard of. Life was very small yet, very worldly, in the early part of the 20th century. You found Emerson and Faulkner traveling the pages with both these artists.
Mr. Adams writes a very readable biography and I can say, I enjoyed learning of these American Artists and their 'art.'
November 15, 2012
Adams admirably synthesizes a huge amount of information. His close readings of the paintings are particularly compelling (too bad the publisher didn't spring for more illustrations). He only seems out of his depth when talking about psychology, and this is a relatively minor part of the book.
I left feeling incredibly curious about Benton. His writing that is quoted in the book is full of wit and insight--including his comments about Pollock.
I left feeling incredibly curious about Benton. His writing that is quoted in the book is full of wit and insight--including his comments about Pollock.
March 4, 2010
A wonderful and deeply human portrayal of these two complex artists with interesting side notes on many under-studied figures in the rise of American modernism. Provocative, accessible, and very nicely written. My interview with the author was published in the January issue of Art & Antiques magazine: http://www.artandantiquesmag.com/Talk...
January 19, 2010
An amazing connection between seemingly different artists is documented in this book. I wish there were more pictures of all the mentioned artists works included. Our local museum, The Figge, in Davenport, Iowa currently has a Jackson Pollack exhibit on loan from the University of Iowa so the timing of this read was perfect!
March 20, 2011
Very good book. I have learned much from the content. I feel the author did a wonderful job of giving a complete look at Benton's influences on Pollock's artwork and the other aspects of the unique times and culture of the 20th century artworld. I learned much from this one and would recommend it.
Want to read
February 15, 2013I renewed this book through my library for all the times I could and still couldn't get through it. I just don't think I put the time into reading this book but I found that it got boring. Maybe I wasn't in the right mindset to read it and may tackle it at another time.
August 1, 2010
This book was FABULOUS!!!! A GREAT READ!
September 28, 2010
This book didn't excite me. It was well written and well researched but it seemed more the stuff of a long art journal article rather than a longish book.
Currently reading
February 4, 2011Book for Art Lovers Group - what we are reading!
February 21, 2011
I am not sure that I agree with every point in the book, but it covers a lot of forsaken aspects of Pollock's development, and his relation to his teacher, Benton.
February 17, 2011
Just decided to let Tom and Jack go back to the library. It started out well, but now I'm slogged down in way too much art theory.
February 26, 2012
It was interesting.
May 31, 2015
While perhaps not so much for a casual reader, I found Tom and Jack to be a fascinating look at both modern art history and the relationship between two very different men.
April 6, 2014
What a bore!
Disjointed and hard to believe it is factual.
Disjointed and hard to believe it is factual.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews