Not on display

Sir Frank Robert Benson

Painting
1927 (painted)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Actor-manager Frank Benson (1858-1939) made his professional stage debut as Paris in Romeo and Juliet at the Lyceum Theatre in 1882. He then toured with Miss Alleyne and Walter Bentley and took over the running of their company in 1883. Benson's company appeared regularly in London and from 1886 gave annual seasons at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. Over a period of 20 years Benson produced and acted in the entire Shakespeare canon. At Drury Lane on 2 May 1916 he played the title role in Julius Caesar and was knighted by George V in a stage box after the performance.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleSir Frank Robert Benson (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Oil on canvas
Brief description
Painting entitled "Sir Frank Robert Benson" by Reginald Grenville Eves, 1927
Physical description
Head and shoulders portrait of Sir Frank Benson. Black background. He wears a roughly painted black jacket and white shirt.
Dimensions
  • Height: 39.2cm
  • Width: 33cm
Credit line
Given by the British Theatre Museum Association
Object history
Given to the British Theatre Museum Association by the Trustees of the Grenville Eves Estate in March 1973.
Subject depicted
Summary
Actor-manager Frank Benson (1858-1939) made his professional stage debut as Paris in Romeo and Juliet at the Lyceum Theatre in 1882. He then toured with Miss Alleyne and Walter Bentley and took over the running of their company in 1883. Benson's company appeared regularly in London and from 1886 gave annual seasons at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. Over a period of 20 years Benson produced and acted in the entire Shakespeare canon. At Drury Lane on 2 May 1916 he played the title role in Julius Caesar and was knighted by George V in a stage box after the performance.
Bibliographic reference
Ashton, Geoffrey. Catalogue of Paintings at the Theatre Museum, London. ed. James Fowler, London : Victoria and Albert Museum, 1992. 224p. ill. ISBN 1851771026
Other number
1973/A/47 - BTMA accession number
Collection
Accession number
S.816-1991

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Record createdNovember 7, 2003
Record URL
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