§ ANTHONY BENJAMIN (BRITISH 1931-2002) UNTITLED

§ ANTHONY BENJAMIN (BRITISH 1931-2002) UNTITLED (MOROCCO SERIES), 2002 12/20, numbered in pencil (lower left), etching on paper (42.5cm x 42.5cm (16.75in x 16.75in)) Footnote: Anthony Benjamin is regarded as a talented polymath; a painter, sculptor and printmaker. Having studied in Paris under Fernand Leger, Benjamin came to St Ives in the late 1950s as a rebellious young artist. Using a small legacy, he purchased a cottage which previously belonged to Sven Berlin. Here, he found encouragement from the likes of Peter Lanyon, accepting his suggestion to join the Newlyn Society of Artists. He had his first one-man exhibition there in 1958. His work developed rapidly here, and he was apparently well supported and encouraged by significant figures in the art world, including Henry Moore and Francis Bacon who gave him canvases. Originally rooted in a more 'kitchen-sink' aesthetic, in Cornwall Benjamin's work became more Abstract Expressionist in concept.