Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 16

Harry Bennett
Hyperrealist Countryside Landscape Gouache Painting by Harry Bennett

Mid 20th Century

$2,200
£1,676.06
€1,932.57
CA$3,078.86
A$3,440.11
CHF 1,799.56
MX$42,186.75
NOK 22,994.93
SEK 21,805.29
DKK 14,423.80
Shipping
Retrieving quote...
The 1stDibs Promise:
Authenticity Guarantee,
Money-Back Guarantee,
24-Hour Cancellation

About the Item

American artist Harry Bennett created this gorgeous gouache painting on cardboard. This early hyperrealist design features a church or school in the middle of nowhere in the countryside. The artist signed the composition in the bottom right corner. The Hyperrealism Movement is the identical reproduction of an image in the painting, so realistic that the viewer comes to wonder whether the nature of the artistic work is a painting or a photograph. Here you could almost think the painting is a true photograph. The hyperrealist painters seek neutrality and do not intend to denounce anything. They show the world objectively. This mysterious image, up for interpretation, reminds me of the iconic scene from the 1959 movie, North by Northwest. Too quiet to be true, something has to happen, but we don't know what yet. A contemporary dark wood frame with a white liner compliments the painting. Measurements: With frame: 30 in wide (76 cm) x 20 in high (51 cm) Painting view: 23.5 in wide (59.5 cm) x 13.75 in high (35 cm). Biography: Harry R. Bennett (1919-2012) Award-winning painter and illustrator Harry R. Bennett, formerly of Ridgefield, Connecticut, died Thursday, November 29, 2012, from complications of pneumonia at The VA Medical Center in Baltimore, MD. He had lived with his daughter, Pamela Bennett, and his wife, Margaret Shean, in Towson, Maryland. Mr. Bennett was a commercial artist when he enlisted in the Army in November 1940. He graduated from the Infantry Officer Candidate School in May 1942. Major Bennett was a veteran of the Hollandia operation, in which Gen. Douglas MacArthur's forces cut off the entire Japanese 18th Army, and in which Major Bennett himself won the Bronze Star. In 1945, Mr. Bennett married Margaret Shean in Ridgefield, CT, where they lived until 1985. His wife encouraged him to follow his passion for painting. He attended The Art Institute of Chicago and The American Academy of Art Chicago. Over the years, he would use his family and neighbors as models for over 1000 book covers and illustrations. Mr. Bennett was best known as an internationally published illustrator who painted large-scale covers for the big publishers of the paperback industry at the time, including Simon and Schuster, Western Printing, and Avon Press. He painted covers for various authors, including Jude Deveraux, Mary Stewart, Phyllis Whitney, and Victoria Holt. He also illustrated the first paperback edition of Mario Puzo's "The Godfather." He received a bronze medal from the New York Society of Illustrators for the ink paintings he created to illustrate a boxed collector's edition of Dante's "Divine Comedy," published in 1966. That same year, the New York Public Library offered a solo exhibition of his works. In 1986, Mr. Bennett retired from commercial work and traveled West, settling in Astoria, OR, where his work continues to be exhibited. Jeannine Grafton, director of the RiverSea Gallery, remembers Bennett as a passionate, enthusiastic artist with a "youthful zest for life." Harry was compassionate, warm, and interested in engaging with new people. Teri Sund, a good friend of Mr. Bennett's who helped run RiverSea Gallery before opening her gallery, recalls, "He was the most honorable and graciously sincere human I have ever had the privilege to know. When Harry was in the room, there were no worries. We all felt safe and cared for when he was around." Harry had a strong work ethic and always wanted to be painting or ready for it. He was an excellent mentor to young artists, including his children Deborah and Thomas, who also paint. In 2008, he and his wife moved to Towson, MD. Source: Taken in part from the obituary on the Legacy website. (Credit: AskART)
  • Creator:
    Harry Bennett (1919 - 2012, American)
  • Creation Year:
    Mid 20th Century
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 20 in (50.8 cm)Width: 30 in (76.2 cm)Depth: 2 in (5.08 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Atlanta, GA
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: 8R163CEBACI1stDibs: LU1212215310212

More From This Seller

View All
Landscape in Provence Watercolor Painting by Francois Pascal, circa 1940
Located in Atlanta, GA
Step into the serene charm of southern France with this captivating watercolor landscape artwork by François Pascal (France, 19th century–1948). Expertly painted on paper, this work ...
Category

1940s Academic Landscape Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Abstract Chiaroscuro Landscape, Oil on Canvas Painting by Francois Gentilini
Located in Atlanta, GA
This beautiful oil-on-canvas painting was created by Francois Gentilini (1930 -). This is a small-scale oil painting by the well-listed French Modern painter Francois Gentilini. The ...
Category

1970s Modern Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Post-Cubist Abstract Oil on Canvas Painting by Hellier
Located in Atlanta, GA
American artist Hellier (20th Century) designed this stunning post-cubist constructivist oil on canvas painting. The artwork "Ste Augustine" uses earth tones juxtaposed with green to...
Category

1950s Cubist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Brooklyn Transfer East River Crossing, Oil on Canvas Painting Frederick Reimers
Located in Atlanta, GA
"Bklyn Transfer, East River Crossing" by Frederick Reimers (1911–1994) This unique, captivating cityscape painting by Frederick Reimers (USA, 1911–1994) offers a dynamic view of the ...
Category

20th Century Modern Landscape Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

The Blue Trees, Oil on Canvas Painting by Claude Richard Mazier
Located in Atlanta, GA
This pretty oil on canvas modernist composition, typical of the 1950s, features a house in a village in the countryside with imaginary blue trees, designed by Claude Richard Mazier (...
Category

1950s Modern Landscape Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

In the English Countryside Oil on Canvas Painting by R. Boughton
Located in Atlanta, GA
This elegant oil on mounted canvas by R. Boughton (England, 20th Century) features an English landscape composition. The artwork is signed in the bottom left corner. The impressionis...
Category

1950s Post-Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

You May Also Like

Untitled Acrylic Architectural Landscape Painting
By Anthony V. Martin
Located in Houston, TX
Architectural landscape painting by Anthony V. Martin of a white house with a lovely green velvet mat and a gold frame. Artist Biography: Anthony V. Martin grew up in east Texas. H...
Category

1960s Modern Landscape Paintings

Materials

Egg Tempera

Old School House, Original Realist Genre Painting on Canvas
By Benjamin Ferry
Located in Boston, MA
Old School House, Original Realist Cityscape Painting, 2013 32" x 40" x 1.5" (HxWxD) Oil on Canvas The sun streaks in across the old New England buildings as they stand out in contr...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Still-life Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Pastoral Landscape, Ian Hornak - Painting
By Ian Hornak
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Ian Hornak (1944-2002) Title: Pastoral Landscape Year: 1970 Medium: Acrylic on canvas Size: 50 x 72 inches Condition: Good Inscription: Unsigned, estate stamped, verso. Prove...
Category

1970s Photorealist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

The Homestead, Photorealist Offset Lithograph by Kathleen Caddick
Located in Long Island City, NY
Kathleen Caddick, English (1937 - ) - The Homestead, Medium: Offset Lithograph, Size: 19.5 x 29.5 in. (49.53 x 74.93 cm), Frame Size: 26.5 x 36.5 inches, Publisher: Solomon & Whi...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Landscape Prints

Materials

Offset

Large 4-Foot Acrylic on Canvas Realist Landscape by Tom Perkinson, Framed
By Tom Perkinson
Located in Encino, CA
Untitled Landscape is an original acrylic painting on canvas by Tom Perkinson. His use of saturated violets, vivid yellows, and resplendent oranges pushes color to almost-otherworldly realms. The viewer is invited to step into the painting to explore the scene within and imagine gazing at an easel of a plein-air painter with the water-filled sky and saturated ground in full view. Here, Perkinson chose to depict the beauty and calm of the rain, with an expansive view of a lush landscape. Women are holding umbrellas in the middle ground with their young children enjoying the feeling of rain drops. A pond just creeps into view from the right and the edge of town can be seen in the distance, just over the trees. Perkinson describes his style of painting as "Romantic Realism," a technique that incorporates two iconic art movements. This style, in combination with the imagination of the artist, produces remarkable results, showcasing Perkinson's keen ability to capture emotion, nature, and life - all in a brushstroke. Both his technical talent and choice of subject matter pair perfectly with its carved, custom, antique-finish, gilt frame. This masterful work would make a great addition to an art collection and enhance most any home, perfect for those who have an affinity for landscapes, impressionism, romanticism, realism, plein-air painting, and nature. In the artist’s own words: “My color combinations aren’t in the realm of the natural world, because I don’t paint reality; I’m a painter of fiction. I try to paint a sense of place, as though this scene really does exist. I have had my collectors ask me where this scene is, and I just have to point to my head and say I made it up. Thus, I think of my work as romantic realism. I’m painting a certain reality that I’ve invented, inspired by the fascinatingly rich Southwestern landscape.” “Color gets all the credit, but it’s the values that do all the work. I don’t begin with sketches, because I want to be free to follow the painting in any direction. I start with washes of different values and tints. Then, I begin to look for a landscape. Several directions will appear to me at this time, and then I have to decide on one of them. During these first few moments, I must establish my distance from the scene. Am I a mile away or just across the river? This is one of the first steps, and I have to decide before I can continue. It’s important for working out the perspective and how things are going to relate to one another in the picture. Then, as the landscape evolves, I look for more images to add to the composition.” Artist: TOM PERKINSON (1940-) Title: UNTITLED LANDSCAPE Medium & Surface: ORIGINAL ACRYLIC PAINTING ON CANVAS (framed) Signed: HAND SIGNED AND DATED BY ARTIST LOWER RIGHT Year Created: 1983 Country of Creation: UNITED STATES Image Area Dimensions: 24 x 40 INCHES Frame Dimensions:* 28.5 x 44.75 x 1 INCHES *This work of art is being sold framed. If you would like to change the frame to better match your style or environment, please contact us for Custom Archival Framing options. Additional Info: HIGHLY COLLECTIBLE WORK BY TOM PERKINSON IN GREAT CONDITION IN A CARVED CUSTOM ANTIQUE-FINISH GILT FRAME. FRAME IS IN GREAT CONDITION CONSISTENT WITH AGE AND STYLE. Artist Info/Bio: ARTIST BIOGRAPHY DOCUMENT IS INCLUDED Documentation: CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY IS INCLUDED About the Artist: Tom Perkinson, born in Indiana in 1940, has become distinguished as a regional painter, known for his work grounded in the visually dramatic landscape of the Southwest. As a child, Perkinson discovered he had a love for the natural landscape, and a talent for art. He fostered that talent through classes at the John Herron Institute of Art in Indianapolis, and then at the Chicago Art Academy upon graduating from high school. He received a degree in art from Oklahoma Baptist University in 1964, before moving on to graduate school at the University of New Mexico. Here, among noted works of a larger scale, he continued to paint the landscape, and it was this work that began to reflect a new fascination with the Southwest. He had found what would become an infinite source of inspiration. Influenced by early painters of the southern Indiana landscape...
Category

1980s Realist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Canvas

Small Town No. 21
Located in Columbia, MO
JERRY BERNECHE Small Town No. 21 Watercolor on Arches 21.5 x 29.25 inches
Category

1990s Contemporary Landscape Paintings

Materials

Watercolor