Dwight Benton

Dwight Baldwin Benton (New York City, September 9, 1834 – Rome, Italy,^[1] April 7, 1903) was an American painter, journalist and United States Consul-General of the Republic of Hawaii for Italy^[2] who resided for decades in Rome.

He learned painting in the United States, painting landscapes, portraits^[3][4] and cityscapes of the midwest. He became an expatriate and painted watercolor landscapes, including of the Protestant Cemetery in Rome, but also vedute of the Sabina, or the areas around Olevano and Subiaco. He also painted Veduta dell'Isola di Capri. he published a journal entitled The Roman World.^[5]

"He was born in Norwich, Chenango, county, New York, but early in life moved with his father, who had a government appointment to Coldwater, Michigan, He was an Artist by nature, keenly sensitive to everything beautiful in the world and in literature and gave early evidence of exquisite taste in painting upon walls and canvas familiar scenes, leaves and flowers.

An artist from New York, passing through Coldwater and seeing his drawings and paintings recognized a genius in the untutored boy, and in-vited him to visit his studio in that city. He did so, traveling by stage and on foot, and resolved to become a painter but his father put him into a post office in Branch county, Michigan, and subsequently into the Chicago post office This was not to his liking and he beguiled his leisure hours in painting.

In 1857 he made a sketch of old Fort Dearborn and surroundings, which attracted attention and caused complimentary notices by the press. A copy of it now hangs in the Roman Fine Art exhibition room.

When the war of the Rebellion broke out the young artist joined the army, fought in several battles, and was taken prisoner by General Hood, but, with others, escaped to the Union lines, though many valuable sketches of camp life were lost.

He then established himself as landscape and portrait painter in Cincinnati, and soon gained an enviable reputation. It was there he met Miss Haggott. Winning honors, he went to Italy, where he studied for three years, when he returned to America, but did not stay long, as he moved back to Rome, where he finished his notable career.

Besides being an Artist, he was a journalists of ability and contributed articles for many magazines and to the Paris American Register. He was an art critic and Rome correspondent for Chicago and Cincinnati newspapers.

He was Consul General of the Hawaiian Republic to Rome from 1895 until annexation to the United States, and for the last six years editor of the Roman World. He was inspired by his love of nature, and reproduced scenes with striking fidelity.

His paintings not only graced the parlors of many of our wealthiest Americans, but are suspended from the walls of royal palaces and art galleries in Europe.^[6]"

Dwight Benton was listed amongst many others as being guilty of treason ^[7] during the Overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893. The New Republic of Hawaii appointed him Consul-General for Italy in 1895.

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