Sweet Innocence

Alfred Bendiner was an architect, artist and author, whose whimsical caricatures of various personalities earned him the title of "the Hirschfeld of Philadelphia." After earning a masters degree in architecture, he set up his own firm. Among his designs are the original offices of the Blue Cross of Greater Philadelphia. An inveterate traveler, Bendiner toured the world with his wife, Elizabeth. Never without his miniature paint box, Bendiner spontaneously captured activity around him on any available surface, including napkins, tablecloths, and menus. From 1938 to 1946 he produced caricatures of concerts and plays for the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin as well as other publications. He wrote and illustrated humorous books based on his personal experiences and family history. He authored an essay, “How Frank Lloyd Wright Got His Medal”, for Harper's magazine. It was later published in literature textbooks. His skilled draughtsmanship garnered him a staff position as an artist on University of Pennsylvania archaeological expeditions to Iraq in 1936 and Guatemala in 1960. Bendiner painted murals for several state institutions and had numerous exhibitions of his work.