Frank Benson

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameFrank Weston•Benson
Used nameFrank•Benson
Born24 March 1862 in Salem, Massachusetts (USA)
Died14 November 1951 in Salem, Massachusetts (USA)
NOC United States

Biography

Frank Weston Benson was an impressionist whose brother was the well-known architect and painter John Prentiss Benson (1865-1947). Frank Benson studied in Boston and later in Paris. He later worked as a teacher and artistic director at the school of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. He created many paintings and etchings of wild birds and also produced numerous portrait paintings. He was a very popular painter, which gave him great financial freedom and placed him among the “Ten American Painters.” Benson is considered the founder of the school of American Sporting Art and his prints are highly desired. After his death the auction house Sotheby’s obtained $4.1 million for one of his paintings.

In 1932, Benson submitted 11 works, including three oil paintings and watercolors and eight graphic works. All paintings were entered “hors concours” and were on loan from the Addison Gallery in Andover, Massachusetts. The 91.8 x 112.1 cm oil painting On the Restigouche was painted in 1927. The Restigouche is a river in the Canadian province of New Brunswick. River in Flood was a watercolor with graphite from 1928 sized 53.7 x 67.3 cm, Salmon Fisherman was another one from the same year (53.2 cm x 45.2 cm).

Two of the graphic works were also shown “hors concours”, Winter Wild Fowling and Old Tom. The latter was the only graphite drawing, made in 1926 (36.2 x 20.5 cm). The etching Winter Wild Fowling (1927) showed two duck hunters placing lures to prepare for the hunt. The sheet size was 38 x 32 cm, and the print 30 x 25 cm. With the remaining etchings Benson took part in the competition: Black Ducks Towering (30 x 20 cm), Two Gunners (1930, 17.5 x 30 cm), Dory Fisherman (17.5 x 30 cm), The Gunner’s Blind (1921, 20 x 25 cm), and Supper (17 x 12 cm). Waders, an etching from 1930 (17.8 x 30.5 cm), was probably submitted in both 1932 and 1936. At least, no other work with this title is known. It is worth noting that all his works exhibited in the art competitions could be identified.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1932 Summer Olympics Art Competitions USA Frank Benson
Painting, Drawings And Water Colors, Open (Olympic) HC
Painting, Drawings And Water Colors, Open (Olympic) HC
Painting, Drawings And Water Colors, Open (Olympic) HC
Painting, Graphic Arts, Open (Olympic) AC
Painting, Graphic Arts, Open (Olympic) HC
Painting, Graphic Arts, Open (Olympic) AC
Painting, Graphic Arts, Open (Olympic) AC
Painting, Graphic Arts, Open (Olympic) AC
Painting, Graphic Arts, Open (Olympic) AC
Painting, Graphic Arts, Open (Olympic) AC
Painting, Paintings, Open (Olympic) HC
1936 Summer Olympics Art Competitions USA Frank Benson
Painting, Graphic Arts, Open (Olympic) AC