Circa 1949
In a body of work that spans seven decades, obscure American modernist artist Gershon Benjamin explored a varied range of tone, style and subject matter in watercolor, oil and charcoal. Not one to resign himself to a single trademark theme, Benjamin focused on an eclectic array of subjects. His paintings included landscapes, portraits, still lifes and urban scenes.
Benjamin was born in Romania just before the turn of the 20th century. His family moved to Montreal in 1901 to escape ethnic persecution. At 10, Benjamin began studying art at the Canadian Council of Arts and Manufacturers, in Quebec. When he was 12, the Royal Canadian Academy admitted Benjamin.
In 1923, Benjamin moved to New York City, where he secured a night job in the art department of The Sun newspaper. He also enrolled in the Art Students League, where he learned engraving from the notable lithographer Joseph Pennell and drawing from illustrator John Sloan.
Benjamin found inspiration in the work of Pablo Picasso and Paul Cézanne. He depicted urban life in meditative Expressionist paintings that later drew comparisons to the Ashcan School — Benjamin painted scenes of New York City’s blocky skyline, elevated subway trains, empty streets at dawn and the Brooklyn Bridge as he saw them on his way home from his night shift at the newspaper.
In New York, Benjamin forged friendships with creative people who were as in love with art as he was and painted with them in Gloucester, Massachusetts, during the city’s hot summers. A number of his acquaintances found a fair amount of fame — including artists Mark Rothko, Raphael Soyer and Milton Avery — whereas Benjamin sought none. And when artists of the era in Manhattan and elsewhere began to work in the style that would become known as Abstract Expressionism, Benjamin continued to create representational art. He remained largely obscure throughout his career, declining to promote or market his still lifes, landscapes and portraiture.
Benjamin's works are held in a number of private and public collections including the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and the Ulrich Museum of Art.
Find original Gershon Benjamin paintings on 1stDibs.
Still Life (Untitled)
By Jeanette Maxfield Lewis
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Still Life (Untitled), c. 1940/50s, oil on canvas, 25 x 30 inches, identified by label verso Jeanette Maxfield Lewis was a California-based landscape painter and etcher. Born in Oa...
Canvas, Oil
$6,500
H 34.25 in W 30.25 in D 1.5 in
Expressionist Still Life by Philadelphia Artist
By Bernard Harmon
Located in Doylestown, PA
"Red Still Life" is an interior still life by Philadelphia born Expressionist painter Bernard Harmon. The 28.25" x 24.25" oil on board painting is framed in a new black wood frame. Bernard Harmon was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1935. Harmon was primarily a portrait painter and a well loved teacher in the Philadelphia area. A graduate of the Philadelphia Museum School and Temples Tyler School of Art, Harmon traveled extensively in Europe and South America. Beloved by many, Harmon taught in the Philadelphia School District for 32 of his 54 years of life. Beginning his career as an art teacher at West Philadelphia High School, in the early 1960s he became one of the district's artists in residence, traveling from school to school to demonstrate for students how an artist works. Returning to the classroom, Harmon joined the art department at Central High School where he taught for 14 years and became an innovator in art curriculum, developing a program offering advanced placement art classes to gifted students. In his final years Harmon became a supervisor, mentoring teachers and overseeing programs in the Philadelphia school systems District #1. During his short life Harmon taught collage preparatory art classes at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, summer classes at the University of the Arts, and a Saturday program for gifted children at Drexel University. Among Harmon's portraits were commissioned by Philadelphia Jazz organist Jimmy Smith and Mayor Richardson Dilworth. Bernard Harmon was active in promoting African American Artist throughout his life time. He organized many early shows such as the "Afro American...
Oil, Board
A Still Life
By Alvin Hollingsworth 1
Located in Sheffield, MA
Alvin Hollingsworth American, 1928-2000 A Still Life Oil on canvas 36 by 24 in. W/frame 42 by 30 in. Alvin was a member of the prominent Spiral group. Spiral was formed in 1963 in the New York studio of Romare Bearden. Spiral members aimed to address civil and human rights concerns and show support for the Civil Rights Movement. They did not, however, want to adhere to strict aesthetic criteria or compromise their artistic individuality. Spiral also included Norman Lewis, Hale Woodruff, Charles Alston, Emma Amos...
Oil
Edna Gass Still Life
By Edna Gass
Located in San Francisco, CA
Edna Gass: 1904-1993. Fabulous little impressionist still life by the Pennsylvania artist Edna Gass. She was considered a member of the new Hope school of artist. The painting is oil...
Oil
$450
H 25 in W 21.25 in D 1 in
Colorful Still Life by Jewish Female Artist Fran Dinhofer
Located in New York, NY
Fran Dinhofer Untitled, 20th century Oil on canvas board Sight: 19 1//2 x 15 1/2 in. Framed: 25 x 21 1/4 x 1 in. Signed lower right This painting was created by artist Fran Dinhofer...
Canvas, Oil, Board
"Homage to Cezanne II"
By Gershon Benjamin
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Ashley John is proud to offer this artwork by: Gershon Benjamin (1899 - 1985) Gershon Benjamin is a painter of portraits, landscapes, still lives, and the urban scene. He had a pro...
Paper, Pastel
$8,966
H 22.25 in W 40.36 in
Modernist Still Life by renowned Dutch artist Dick Elffers
Located in London, GB
A striking original painting by Dutch artist Dick Elffers, whose work features in the MoMA and Rijksmuseum collections. This piece's composition is incredibly elegant, with a beautif...
Canvas, Oil
$1,320
H 33.75 in W 27.75 in D 1.125 in
Samson Schames Still Life Painting, c. 1940s-1950s
By Samson Schames
Located in New York, NY
Samson Schames (German-American, 1898-1967) Untitled (Still Life), c. 1940s-1960s Oil on paper Sight: 26 1/2 x 20 3/4 in. Framed: 33 3/4 x 27 3/4 x 1 1/8 in. Samson Schames grew up...
Oil, Paper
$2,450
H 24 in W 19.75 in D 0.13 in
Still Life', Worth Galleries, Palm Beach, Florida, Modernism
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
Signed lower left, 'Irv Smith' for Irving T. Smith, (American, 20th century) and painted circa 1965. Irving Smith was an American Modernist painter who exhibited in Florida galleri...
Oil, Board
$495
H 22 in W 16 in D 2 in
Antique American Modernist Abstract Expressionist Still Life Signed Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Antique American modernist still life oil painting. Oil on canvas. Signed. Measuring: 16 by 22 inches overall. In excellent original condition. Excellent condition, ready to hang a...
Canvas, Oil
"Studio Interior"
By Gershon Benjamin
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Jim’s of Lambertville is proud to offer this artwork by: Gershon Benjamin (1899 - 1985) An American Modernist of portraits, landscapes, still lives, and the urban scene, Gershon ...
Canvas, Oil
"Gladioli Still Life"
By Gershon Benjamin
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Jim’s of Lambertville is proud to offer this artwork by: Gershon Benjamin (1899 - 1985) An American Modernist of portraits, landscapes, still lives, and the urban scene, Gershon ...
Oil, Board
"Flowering Cactus"
By Gershon Benjamin
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Jim's of Lambertville is proud to present this artwork by Gershon Benjamin (1899 – 1985) An American Modernist of portraits, landscapes, still lifes, and urban scenes, Gershon Benja...
Canvas, Oil
"The Pot Stove, the Flowers and the Pitcher"
By Gershon Benjamin
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Jim’s of Lambertville is proud to offer this artwork by: Gershon Benjamin (1899 - 1985) An American Modernist of portraits, landscapes, still lives, and the urban scene, Gershon ...
Canvas, Oil
"Flowering Cactus"
By Gershon Benjamin
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Jim’s of Lambertville is proud to offer this artwork by: Gershon Benjamin (1899 - 1985) An American Modernist of portraits, landscapes, still lives, and the urban scene, Gershon ...
Canvas, Oil
"Summer Flowers"
By Joseph Barrett
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Illustrated in "Joseph Barrett, The Prime Years 1970s - 1990s", pg. 10 #010 Jim’s of Lambertville is proud to offer this artwork by: Joseph Barrett (1936 – ) Joseph Barrett was born in Midland, North Carolina, in 1936 and studied at the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston and at the Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia. Barrett, now of Lahaska, Pennsylvania, has been painting his entire adult life. His favorite subjects include the landscape surrounding New Hope and many local landmarks often encompassing figures into his compositions. Barrett utilizes a heavy impasto and his palette bears similarities to that of Fern Coppedge and George Sotter. Barrett’s paintings are always found in unique and somewhat charming handmade frames designed by the artist and finished in metal leaf. A living contemporary of the no longer living “New Hope School” impressionist painters, Joseph Barrett resides outside of New Hope above his old-fashioned antique shop and studio. Entering Barrett’s shop is like taking a step back in time. Inside this cluttered and dusty haven of treasures from the past, is a studio spanning only four by eight feet. This little studio, containing cans of old brushes and hundreds of used paint tubes...
Canvas, Oil
