FRANK MOSS BENNETT (Liverpool 1874 – Whitcombe Barton, Newton Abbot, Devon 1952)
The Greek Runner Ladas Falling Dead as he Goes to Receive his Crown at Olympia
signed Frank M. Bennett in the lower right
oil on canvas
50 x 40 inches (127 x 101.5 cm.)
MENTAL GOLD MEDAL WINNERS
With the Olympics about to start, there are always many discussions about what it takes to become a top athlete. That it takes an extensive amount of natural talent, or in this case athletic skill is an indisputable fact. However, an often-overlooked characteristic of these top sporters is the ability to apply the coaching given together with natural talent to produce an outcome. This is a quality that often gets dismissed but is probably one of the most important. Interestingly, for many artists it is the same.
Frank Moss Bennett was born in Liverpool. He came from an ‘artistic family’ because his father was a successful architect. I think we can pause there and note that there may not have been huge amounts of creativity in architecture at the time, but it does show that Frank may have inherited this skill of applied learning and talent as a draftsman. From a young age, Bennett showed a keen interest and talent in drawing and painting.
Bennett attended Clifton College Bristol, which offered a broad classical education, but no real possibility to study as an artist. He left in 1893 together with his close friend Eddie Wells. They were both then accepted to the Slade School of Fine Art, which at that time, required a portfolio submission but no real artistic training. The Slade offered a rigorous curriculum that emphasized both technical skill and creative expression. Learning from the likes of Henry Tonks, Philip Wilson Steer and John Singer Sargent, it is said that Bennett excelled here.
Bennett then left The Slade and started studying at St John’s Wood School of Art around 1894. This was one of the best ways to enter the most prestigious of schools, The Royal Academy. At St John’s the training was focused on studying the human form through live models, which was considered essential for developing technical proficiency. The school also placed a strong emphasis on the study of classical art. Many students attended St John's Wood Art School to prepare for the entrance examinations of the Royal Academy Schools.
Within a few months Bennett was able to join The Royal Academy. He quickly proved himself to be a capable and accomplished artist. More important than his talent, his painting The Greek Runner Ladas Falling Dead as he Goes to Receive his Crown at Olympia showed his skills as learner. He was able to demonstrate his technical rendering abilities learned at The Slade and his proficiency in interpretation of the human figure learned at St John’s Wood, along with his high knowledge of classical art. This painting won him the Gold Medal and launched his career as an artist. He used his prize money to travel and returned to a full slate of commissions, it was so famous. No doubt Bennett had talent, but his true skill was his applied learning. Don’t underestimate the mental abilities of those Olympic Athletes! Think of what amazing, applied learners they are.
July 24, 2024