Benjamin West (1738 - 1820)
Benjamin West (born Benjamin West; October 10, 1738, Springfield, PA - March 11, 1820, London) - Anglo-American painter known for his large-scale historical paintings.
Benjamin West was born in Springfield in the family of the innkeeper, was the tenth child in the family. Later the family moved to Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, where his father owned institution «Square Tavern», still existing in the city. West said John Gal't (John Galt), with whom later cooperated in the work on his memoirs «The Life and Studies of Benjamin West» (1816, 1820) that when he was a child, the Indians showed him how to paint by mixing the clay from the banks rivers bear grease in a pot. In painting, the West was self-taught.
"The Treaty of William Penn with the Indians" (1771-1772). Pennsylvania Museum of Art, Philadelphia
In 1746-1759 he worked in Pennsylvania, painting mostly portraits. When he went to Lancaster in 1756, gunsmith William Henry suggested that he write the canvas "The Death of Socrates» (Death of Socrates), based on engravings from the "Ancient History" by Charles Rollin. The result was a work, differs significantly from the original, called "the most ambitious and interesting painting, created in colonial America» ( «the most ambitious and interesting painting produced in colonial America») [1]. Anglican priest William Smith, the then rector of the College of Pennsylvania, saw the picture in the house West, decided to assist him. He invited him to begin training and began to acquaint him with the rich and influential people of Pennsylvania, in 1756, West went to Philadelphia to study painting. At this time he met John Wollaston - an artist who immigrated to the U.S. from London. He studied the technique of writing Wollaston iridescent silk and satin fabrics, and also picked up some of the mannerisms of his writing, in particular - the image of people with large almond-shaped eyes, which was valued customers [2]. He was a close friend of Benjamin Franklin, wrote to his portrait. Franklin was the godfather of the second son of Benjamin West.
After Pennsylvania, he worked in New York, creating portraits. In the years 1760-1763, with the assistance of Smith and William Allen, traveled to Italy and visited many Italian cities, studying the art, thereby to expand the subject of his paintings. In Italy, he created copies of paintings by Titian and Raphael.
In 1763 he moved to England, where he entered the service of King George III, painted portraits of the royal family, has created two portraits of the king. In London he made friends with the famous English painter Joshua Reynolds, along with it participated in the creation of the Royal Academy of Arts, founded in 1768.
"Death of General Wolfe" (1770). National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa
In 1770, West wrote one of his most famous and controversial paintings - "Death of General Wolfe", exhibited in the exposition of the Royal Academy of Arts in 1771. Although the first picture received a negative assessment by Reynolds and other artists, who considered it an insult to history painting (the people at the scene were dressed in modern, not ancient dress), but she began to enjoy great success with it, make copies of other artists, and eventually Reynolds approved now. There are several versions.
In 1772, George III appointed the West's historical painter at the court with an annual salary of 1 000 pounds (held the post until 1801). From 1791 until his death was an inspector of paintings in the collection of the king. After the death of Reynolds in 1792 became the second president of the Academy of Arts, held that position until 1805. In 1802 he visited Paris.
Among the disciples on DVD - American artist Washington Allston, Gilbert Stuart, Charles Willson Peale, John Singleton Copley.
※ 구글번역기를 통한 번역으로 오역이 있을 수 있으니 참고 하시기 바랍니다.
Benjamin West was born in Springfield in the family of the innkeeper, was the tenth child in the family. Later the family moved to Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, where his father owned institution «Square Tavern», still existing in the city. West said John Gal't (John Galt), with whom later cooperated in the work on his memoirs «The Life and Studies of Benjamin West» (1816, 1820) that when he was a child, the Indians showed him how to paint by mixing the clay from the banks rivers bear grease in a pot. In painting, the West was self-taught.
"The Treaty of William Penn with the Indians" (1771-1772). Pennsylvania Museum of Art, Philadelphia
In 1746-1759 he worked in Pennsylvania, painting mostly portraits. When he went to Lancaster in 1756, gunsmith William Henry suggested that he write the canvas "The Death of Socrates» (Death of Socrates), based on engravings from the "Ancient History" by Charles Rollin. The result was a work, differs significantly from the original, called "the most ambitious and interesting painting, created in colonial America» ( «the most ambitious and interesting painting produced in colonial America») [1]. Anglican priest William Smith, the then rector of the College of Pennsylvania, saw the picture in the house West, decided to assist him. He invited him to begin training and began to acquaint him with the rich and influential people of Pennsylvania, in 1756, West went to Philadelphia to study painting. At this time he met John Wollaston - an artist who immigrated to the U.S. from London. He studied the technique of writing Wollaston iridescent silk and satin fabrics, and also picked up some of the mannerisms of his writing, in particular - the image of people with large almond-shaped eyes, which was valued customers [2]. He was a close friend of Benjamin Franklin, wrote to his portrait. Franklin was the godfather of the second son of Benjamin West.
After Pennsylvania, he worked in New York, creating portraits. In the years 1760-1763, with the assistance of Smith and William Allen, traveled to Italy and visited many Italian cities, studying the art, thereby to expand the subject of his paintings. In Italy, he created copies of paintings by Titian and Raphael.
In 1763 he moved to England, where he entered the service of King George III, painted portraits of the royal family, has created two portraits of the king. In London he made friends with the famous English painter Joshua Reynolds, along with it participated in the creation of the Royal Academy of Arts, founded in 1768.
"Death of General Wolfe" (1770). National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa
In 1770, West wrote one of his most famous and controversial paintings - "Death of General Wolfe", exhibited in the exposition of the Royal Academy of Arts in 1771. Although the first picture received a negative assessment by Reynolds and other artists, who considered it an insult to history painting (the people at the scene were dressed in modern, not ancient dress), but she began to enjoy great success with it, make copies of other artists, and eventually Reynolds approved now. There are several versions.
In 1772, George III appointed the West's historical painter at the court with an annual salary of 1 000 pounds (held the post until 1801). From 1791 until his death was an inspector of paintings in the collection of the king. After the death of Reynolds in 1792 became the second president of the Academy of Arts, held that position until 1805. In 1802 he visited Paris.
Among the disciples on DVD - American artist Washington Allston, Gilbert Stuart, Charles Willson Peale, John Singleton Copley.
※ 구글번역기를 통한 번역으로 오역이 있을 수 있으니 참고 하시기 바랍니다.
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