“Congratulattions on bringing his work to light — it is a revealing and worthy discovery, and nice to see his art take its place in the American realist tradition. I’m delighted to have this book for my library.”

John Wilmerding
Emeritus Professor of American Art, Princeton University

“John Prentiss Benson is one of my favorite marine artists. His knowledge of the motion of water, his sense of drama, and above all his understanding of the way of a ship in the sea are complete, confident, and supremely satisfying. It is wonderful that the research team has continued to turn up more of his paintings, and I am very excited to see the pictures reproduced in the size and quality they deserve.”

Nathan R. Lipfert
Senior Curator, Maine Maritime Museum

“The name Benson immediately draws up Frank Benson, that illustrious American Impressionist who was a member of “The Ten”.  Few may recognize the name of his brother, John, younger by two years.  He, too, was a talented painter, but his family urged him to sublimate that desire in favor of what would become a successful career in architecture.  John did continue to paint privately, but starting in mid-life he finally focused exclusively on painting.  For the last twenty-five years of his life he pursued his love of marine subjects and the coast of Maine.  He was prolific, producing at least 750 paintings, the best of which are as spirited and skillful as those of his brother, Frank.  Thanks to Nicholas Baker and Margaret Betts, American art history is richer for telling the story of an artist who painted under no one’s shadow.”