William Arthur Smith Benson

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William Arthur Smith Benson photographed by Frederick Hollyer around 1900

William Arthur Smith Benson (born October 17, 1854 in Paddington , Middlesex , † July 5, 1924 in Manorbier , Pembrokeshire ) was an English artisan and designer . Benson was a founding member of the Artisans' Guild in 1884.

Youth and education

WAS Benson, (short for his name) was the eldest son of William Benson (1816-1887), a lawyer at Lincoln's Inn , and his wife, Elizabeth Soulsby, daughter of Thomas Smith of Colebrook Park (Tonbridge, Kent). He had two sisters and three brothers: Francis Robert Benson, actor, and Godfrey Rathbone Benson, first Baron Charnwood. William was the least sociable of his siblings. Growing up in a comfortable home in Winchester , Hampshire , young Benson was expected to follow in his father's footsteps and become a lawyer too. He enjoyed staying with his uncle, William Arthur Smith, who introduced the boy to the lathe and the basics of mechanics.

First William attended Darch's Preparatory School in Brighton , Sussex, and then Winchester College . In 1874 he entered New College , Oxford, where Benson studied Classical Philology and Philosophy. He struggled through to graduation and then decided to do an apprenticeship at the London architecture firm Basil Champneys because he felt that with an education in architecture he could combine his interests in art and mechanics. He stayed in Champney's office at 32 Queen Square until 1880, but soon realized that he would rather work with his hands.

Career finding

By chance, Benson made the acquaintance of Edward Burne-Jones and his circle in 1877 , through whom he also met William Morris in 1878 . This meeting sparked Benson's artisan career. He began designing furniture and metalwork, and helped Burne-Jones with a drawing for a piano. Burne-Jones encouraged Benson's interest in making things, and it is believed that Benson designed many of the romantic, knightly armor, as well as models of ships and crowns depicted in Burne-Jones' paintings. In 1884 he was a model for the king in Burne-Jones' painting "King Cophetua and the Beggar Maid".

Your own workshop

With the encouragement of Burne-Jones and Morris and a little financial support from his father, he set up his first workshop in 1880 on North End Road, Fulham , where Burne-Jones also lived. Here he worked with a few workers who used foot-driven lathes to produce the metal parts made of copper and brass for his beautifully shaped household items.

With the support of William Morris, he specialized in ironwork.

Benson was asked by Burne-Jones to remodel his Rottingdean house, which he had bought in September 1880. From Lady Burne-Jones' "Memorials" it became known that Benson also designed the oak furniture. When in 1889 the opportunity arose to buy the neighboring house, Burne-Jones again asked Benson for his help as an architect and he connected the two houses with a studio. Benson also met his wife through Margret Burne-Jones.

On October 26, 1886, Benson married Venetia Hunt, the daughter of the landscape painter Alfred William Hunt. They didn't have any children. Venetia was a blessing to this dreamy and messy man. It was also an advantage that Venetia came from an artistic family that was sociable and well connected with rich people - she herself was John Ruskin's godchild - who were open to everything new and bought Benson's lighting equipment. She was also a modern woman who enjoyed shopping in department stores and modern sports and games. Many of his customers were impressed by the young, dreamy designer, but somehow shocked when they visited him in his workshop, which was full of machines and chemical solvents.

The EYOT works

In 1890 he built the EYOT Works on a large lot in Eyot Garden, St Peter's Square, Hammersmith, not far from Morris Kelmscott House. Morris nicknamed him "Brass Benson" (Brass Benson). The company now began mass producing household goods in copper from kettles to fireplace screens. Benson also developed a varnish as tarnish protection for its copper goods, which sealed them. The company was very successful and many of Benson's designs were patented.

In some cases he constructed special machines and tools for his work and employed over 100 workers. Unlike the members of the Arts and Crafts movement , Benson wanted to make his objects available to as many people as possible through machine mass production.

Benson bought a studio that he used as an office and a showroom on Campden Hill Road, centrally located for the "Holland Park set" The Holland Park Circle, artist houses on Holland Park Road and Melbury Road. In 1887 he opened a showroom at 82 and 83 New Bond Streets. Benson's goods were sold there and by Morris & Co. in its Oxford Street store.

At first (late 1880s) his lamps were still intended for oil. But with the invention of the incandescent lamp and the spread of electricity, Benson was also able to use the lampshades with glass by James Powell from Whitefriars, whose Vaseline glass gave a particularly beautiful light.

Samuel Siegfried Bing admired Benson's work and sold it in his shop, the influential Maison L'Art Nouveau in Paris.

In 1908, together with John Dearle , Benson designed two wallpaper samples that were printed by Jeffrey (manufacturer), he also designed furniture for JS Henry & Co. and fire grates etc. for the Coalbrookdale and Falkirk foundries.

After the death of William Morris in 1896, Benson became managing director of William Morris & Co. Decorators Ltd. until he retired in 1920 and also sold his company. In 1899 he designed a cupboard made of rosewood with inlays made of various types of wood for Morris & Co. The doors were decorated with metal-framed glass. In 1924 he died at his Castle Cottage, in Manorbier, Pembrokeshire, Wales.

Works

  • Metal work . In: Arts and Crafts Essays By members of the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society. With a preface by William Morris. Rivington, Percival, & Co., London 1893, Text Archive - Internet Archive

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ The Art Workers' Guild - History
  2. ↑ Sir Francis Robert Benson (1858–1939)
  3. ^ Benson, Godfrey Rathbone, first Baron Charnwood
  4. ^ Basil Champneys Architecture
  5. ^ Art Case Piano
  6. ↑ King Cophetua and the Beggar Maid at the Tate Gallery
  7. ↑ Copper kettles and teapots
  8. ^ North End House in Rottingdean. After the renovation . In: Memorials of Edward Burne-Jones . Vol II: Lady Georgina Burne-Jones . Macmillan and company, London 1904, pp. 195-96, Text Archive - Internet Archive
  9. ↑ Christie's Sale 6911 on June 9, 2004 - Venetia Hunt painted by Burne-Jones
  10. ^ The leading artists of the 'Holland Park Circle' - artist houses on Holland Park and Melbury Road
  11. ↑ WHAT Benson. An outstanding & extremely rare Arts & Crafts copper & brass chandelier with 6 James Powell of Whitefriars Vaseline shades
  12. ↑ James Powel of Whitefriars History ( Memento of the original from July 13, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.whitefriars.com
  13. ^ Cabinet by WAS Benson
personal data
SURNAME Benson, William Arthur Smith
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Benson, WHAT
BRIEF DESCRIPTION English artisan and designer
DATE OF BIRTH October 17, 1854
PLACE OF BIRTH Paddington , Middlesex
DATE OF DEATH July 5, 1924
Place of death Manorbier , Pembrokeshire