Robert Benney; Painted, Illustrated WWII Battle Scenes
Robert L. Benney, 97, a painter and illustrator best known for his depictions of World War II combat, died May 14 in Boston.
The Romanian-born Benney moved to New York as a child and studied at many workshops of the Art Students League and later taught at the Pratt Institute.
During World War II, Benney was one of the few civilian correspondents accredited by the Army to go into battle and paint and draw what they witnessed.
Benney covered amphibious landings in the South Pacific and documented medical personnel in action there.
His work can be found in the books “Men Without Guns,” “Our Flying Navy,” “WWII” by James Jones, and Life magazine’s “Picture History of World War II.”
His portraits of war and peace are included in collections held by the de Young Museum in San Francisco and the Smithsonian Institution.