Ben Stahl (artist)

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This article is about the artist, illustrator and author. For the labor organizer, see Ben Stahl.

Ben Stahl (1910-1987) was an American artist, illustrator and author. He showed precocious talent, winning a scholarship to the Art Institute of Chicago at age twelve. His artwork appeared in the International Watercolor Show at the Art Institute when he was sixteen. He later taught at the Art Institute, as well as at the American Academy of Art, the Art Students League of New York, Brooklyn's Pratt Institute and at various universities.

Stahl won many prizes, including the Saltus Gold Medal of the National Academy of Design. His work appeared in Women’s Home Companion, Cosmopolitan (magazine), American Artist, North Light, Esquire, the Chicago Tribune Magazine, Picture Post, Southwest Art and in some 750 stories in The Saturday Evening Post. He was featured in the 1976 television series Journey into Art with Ben Stahl, 26 half-hour programs consisting of lectures and painting demonstrations by the artist. Stahl was one of the founding faculty for the Famous Artists School.

Stahl also produced advertising artwork for various companies, and posters for several movies, including Ben-Hur. He illustrated a number of books, including a limited edition of Madame Bovary and the 25th anniversary edition of "Gone with the Wind". Stahl wrote two novels. Blackbeard's Ghost was published in 1965 by Houghton Mifflin, and made into a movie by The Walt Disney Company in 1969. "The Secret of Red Skull", a sequel to Blackbeard's Ghost, was also published by Houghton Mifflin.

Ben Stahl also served as an official U.S. Air Force artist and as an officer in the U.S. Air Force Reserve.

[edit] Stolen Works

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In 1965 Stahl opened the Museum of the Cross in Sarasota, Florida to house a second, much larger set of The 15 Stations of the Cross, each measuring 6 x 9 feet. In April of 1969 all 15 painting were stolen. The national media called it the second largest art theft of the decade, with the value being assessed at over $1.5 million.

It would be nearly 25 years later that Stahl's son, David, would discover the truth, that the paintings were never even listed as stolen. As of 2007, the whereabouts of Stahl's worldy acclaimed 15 Stations of the Cross works have never been found.