Expert: Jeni Andrews-Fraser - 1/2/2008

Question
I would like to know if you can tell me about this painting by F.M. Bennett
Thanks

Answer
Hello Claire Anne and thank you for your question.  Cursory research reveals that Bennett is a 'genre' painter.  The term usually describes either a type of painting (religious, heroic etc.) or a scene from everyday life. Bennett’s genre paintings fall into roughly four categories: The Huntsmen, The Historical Elizabethans and Stuarts, The Cardinals, and scenes of everyday life. The paintings could be of social subjects, for example bewigged gentlemen having a dinner party, discussing topics of the day, or after dinner discussions over the port and smoking clay pipes in beautifully decorated interiors, or Ladies and Gentlemen having a quite tete a tete over a cup of tea. Undoubtedly the most famous of FMB’s paintings is ‘The Landlords Story’. It has been reproduced many thousands of times and most surely has been his biggest commercial painting. It is still being reproduced as prints, you only have to look on the internet and you will see website after website selling the print. It is quite understandable why this picture has been so successful: it was superbly painted, each of the figures has a great character and the gestures make you want to join in the conversation, also the depth of the painting takes you right into the courtyard of the Inn

Frank Moss Bennett (1874 - 1953) was a London artist who specialised in painting portraits, genre and historical subjects in the 'Victorian' style. Bennett was born in Liverpool. He studied art at St John's Wood Art School, the Slade School, and at The Royal Academy Schools, where he won a gold medal and a travel scholarship. His orginal oils now command many thousands of dollars (or even more Pounds!)

I suggest you take your painting to a local fine art dealer for a valuation if you are interested in its insurance or re-sale value.  Otherwise, enjoy your painting.  (It's not a 'masterpiece' but there is a market for such genre paintings.)

Hope this answers your question.

Cheers
Jeni