Frank Moss Bennett

Frank Moss Bennett (1874–1952) was a British painter of portraits, historical scenes and architecture. He was known for his posthumous portraits, particularly of soldiers killed during the First World War, which were commissioned by grieving relatives as a remembrance of their sons and husbands.

Early life

Frank Moss Bennett was born on 15 November 1874 in Liverpool, England.Frank Moss Bennett
Rehs Galleries Charles Mosley (ed.), ''Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage'', Wilmington, Delaware: Burke's Peerage, 2003, volume 1, page 1366 He was educated at the Clifton College, a private boarding school in Bristol where he met Edward Francis Wells who would become a lifelong friend and fellow artist. Bennett and Wells followed the same educational path, first studying at the Slade School of Fine Art, then St John's Wood Art School, and finally at the Royal Academy Schools in London where Bennett won the Gold Medal and a Travel Scholarship. The latter enabled Bennett to spend a year travelling in Italy with Wells (who was probably independently financed).

Career

He painted portraits as well as historic and religious paintings. His work was exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts from 1898 to 1928 as well as the Liverpool Art Gallery from 1899 to 1932. More recently, his work has been auctioned by Christie's and Bonhams. His portrait of Theodore Martin is at the National Portrait Gallery in London.

His historical genre paintings are particularly popular. They were complemented by his accurate knowledge of period costume and furnishings. Bennett had a large collection of Eighteenth and early Nineteenth Century costumes. An impressive example from the collection is seen worn by the man on the left-hand side in the painting ''Nearing the end''. The garment is also illustrated in the biographical book 'Frank Moss Bennett, 1874-1952, (The Forgotten Artist)' and it is currently in the costume collection of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Virginia, USA. Where it is described as

This garment was also illustrated in the 'Costume' series of cigarette cards on a card titled 'A Man of Fashion 1775'. Bennett designed (providing original oil paintings) all 50 cards in the series which appeared in cigarette packets in October, November and December of 1929. The cards were produced by Mardon, Son and Hall of Bristol (of Great Britain and Ireland), the firm that dealt with the advertising for Imperial Tobacco (now Imperial Brands). This is just one example (of the many) where Bennett's paintings were reproduced as prints for commercial use.

Personal life

He married Margaret Alma Pellew in 1907.Son, Maureen Elizabeth. (2007) ''Frank Moss Bennett: 1874-1952 (The Forgotten Artist)''. Enfield: Son Publishing. They had a son, Edward Fleetwood Pellew, and a daughter, Barbara Francis. They resided in London. By 1938, they moved to Whetcombe Barton farm in Newton Abbot, Devon.

Death

Bennett died on 23 February 1952 at Whetcombe Barton, Newton Abbot, England.

Gallery

Image:'A hearty lunch'. Oil on canvas. Signed 'FM Bennett' (lower left).jpg, 'A hearty lunch'. Oil on canvas. Signed 'FM Bennett' (lower left)
File:'Another fine vintage'. Oil on canvas. Signed and dated 'FM Bennett 1935' (lower right).jpg, 'Another fine vintage'. Oil on canvas. Signed and dated 'FM Bennett 1935' (lower right)
File:'Discussing strategy'. Oil on canvas. Signed and dated 'FM Bennett 1932' (lower right).jpg, 'Discussing strategy'. Oil on canvas. Signed and dated 'FM Bennett 1932' (lower right)
File:'Reading the news'. Oil on canvas. Signed and dated 'FM Bennett 1945' (lower left).jpg, 'Reading the news'. Oil on canvas. Signed and dated 'FM Bennett 1945' (lower left)
File:'Scholars taking tea'. Oil on canvas. Signed and indistinctly dated 'FM Bennett 192-' (lower left).jpg, 'Scholars taking tea'. Oil on canvas. Signed and indistinctly dated 'FM Bennett 192-' (lower left)
File:'Watching the day go by'. Oil on canvas. Signed and dated 'FM Bennett 1939' (lower right).jpg, 'Watching the day go by'. Oil on canvas. Signed and dated 'FM Bennett 1939' (lower right)

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bennett, Frank Moss
1874 births
1952 deaths
Artists from Liverpool
Alumni of the Slade School of Fine Art
British male painters
20th-century British painters
20th-century British male artists