John Hodges Benwell facts for kids

John Hodges Benwell (1764–1785) was a talented English artist. He was known for his "genre paintings," which are artworks that show scenes from everyday life. Some of his paintings became very famous because they were turned into engravings, which are printed copies made from a carved plate.

Meet John Benwell: An English Painter

Early Life and Art Training

John Benwell was born in 1764 at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, England. His father worked there as an under-steward, which meant he helped manage the large estate for the Duke of Marlborough.

When John was young, he became a student of a portrait painter named Sanders, who lived in Great Russell Street in Bloomsbury, London. John also studied art at the famous Royal Academy Schools. This was a big achievement! In 1782, he even won a silver medal there for his artistic skills.

Later, John Benwell moved to Bath, where he taught drawing. He created some small, oval-shaped drawings using a special mix of watercolour paints and pastels. Sadly, many of his artworks have been damaged or faded over time.

Later Years and Famous Works

John Benwell eventually returned to London. In 1784, he showed a painting called Glycaera at the Tomb of her Mother at the Royal Academy. This painting had a classical theme, meaning it was inspired by ancient Greek or Roman stories.

Sadly, John Benwell became very ill with a serious lung illness and passed away the next year, in 1785, when he was only 21 years old. He was buried in the churchyard of Old St. Pancras Church.

Even though he died young, several of his artworks became very popular through engravings. These included two scenes from a famous old Scottish song called "Auld Robin Gray." Another well-known work was "Children in the Wood," which was engraved by William Sharp. He also created two beautiful portraits called A St. Giles's Beauty and A St. James's Beauty, both of which were engraved by the famous artist Bartolozzi.