Frank Moss Bennett

Frank Moss Bennett was a London painter of portraits, genre and historical subjects in both oils and watercolour as well as being an illustrator.

Bennett was born in Liverpool and studied at St John’s Wood School of Art, The Slade School of Art and at the Royal Academy Schools of Art where he won a gold medal and a travelling scholarship.

He exhibited at the Royal Academy between 1898 and 1928, titles included ” A Book Plate ” in 1898, ” The Greek Runner Falling Dead as he goes to Receive his Crown at Olympia ” 1900 and ” Gay Birds ” in 1903, he also exhibited at the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour and at the Paris Salon.

Bennett however, turned to painting historical genre and portraits and it was with the former that he achieved critical acclaim. He was one of the last of the fine figure painters in Britain and specialised in period interiors. His expertise lay in appealing conversation pieces of the romantic period of the mid-nineteenth century England, figures in tavern interiors or travellers gathered before a coaching inn, huntsmen carousing after the hunt or gentlemen discussing affairs of State, subjects which found a ready market amongst collectors in the United Kingdom and the United States in particular.

The artist’s superb technical abilities are demonstrated in the knowledge and accuracy of the costumes worn by his figures. This fact is borne out by the vast number of period costumes that he collected during his lifetime.

Many of pieces became well known through calendars and other forms of popular reproduction.

Bennett lived early in his career in South London before moving to Ebury Street in 1911. Towards the end of his career he became Official Purchaser for the National Portrait Gallery.

Address:- Chislehurst, Kent 1898

Croydon, Surrey 1899

London 1905 – 1928

Exhibited at:- Royal Society of Artists, Birmingham x 4

Dudley Gallery and New Dudley Gallery x 26

Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool x 8

Royal Academy x 31

Royal Institute of Oil Painters x 8

Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours x 4

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