Władysław Teodor Benda (b. January 15 1873 in Poznań (Posen), German Empire - d. November 30 1948 in Newark, New Jersey) was a Polish-American painter, illustrator, and designer. Benda was educated in Kraków and Vienna. He emigrated to the United States in 1899 and became a U.S. citizen in 1911.
Benda's "Golden Beauty" Mask
Benda's illustrations often appeared in Life, Vanity Fair and Vogue magazines. In addition to being an illustrator, he was also an accomplished mask-maker. Working in papiér-mâche, Benda's masks ranged from startlingly lifelike to comically grotesque. His book on the subject, simply titled Masks, is currently out of print.
