Benjamin West

Image credit: National Portrait Gallery, London

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The American artist West was unusual in succeeding both in portraiture and history painting. Born in Pennsylvania, he settled in London after studying in Italy between 1760 and 1763. He painted a wide variety of biblical, classical, historical and literary subjects usually in a Neoclassical or Romantic style. He materially altered the course of British art with his The Death of General Wolfe (1770–1771), an innovative painting which employed the classical conventions of history painting to portray a modern event. He succeeded Sir Joshua Reynolds as President of the Royal Academy from 1792 to 1820. This affectionate portrait was painted by West's former student, John Downman, who described him as 'my most beloved teacher'.

National Portrait Gallery, London

London

Title

Benjamin West

Date

1777

Medium

oil on copper

Measurements

H 21.6 x W 17.8 cm

Accession number

6264

Acquisition method

Transferred from the National Gallery, 1994

Work type

Painting

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