The Sporting Art of Frank W. Benson

Salmon Fisherman

The American Impressionist Frank W. Benson caught my attention yesterday as I browsed through his catalog of works. While his most remembered and celebrated works use oil paints to capture landscapes and portraits in vivid color, Benson also created some very fine etchings. I don't know much about art history, but I try to become a bit more culturally literate everyday. Benson captures scenes familiar to the angler, with special attention paid to Atlantic salmon fishing. I found this most interesting as I think it speaks volumes about who he was as an artist and the era he lived in. Benson was often commissioned to paint portraits of the American elite of the day which would have put him in touch with that most noble of fish. This sort of patronage funded his art. Most Atlantic salmon runs in North America have been extirpated as well, making his etchings all the more indicative of a by-gone era. If you have several thousand dollars to spend on sporting art, Benson might just be your man.

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