Olivia
A simple American born in Quaker-dominated Pennsylvania, Benjamin West had worldly dreams. West began training with European artist William Williams and continued until the age of twenty-two when he embarked upon a journey to Italy (Wilmerding). Once there, he pursued his artistic aspirations, gaining a repertoire of knowledge that allowed for his eventual establishment as a historical painter and portraitist in London (Miller). Despite his permanent residence in England, West stayed true to his American heritage in his diligent depiction of colonial history. This eagerness to portray recent successes in America’s development revolutionized the definition of a historical work (Zygmont). Drawing upon his familiarity with artistic precedents in historical and religious painting, West emphasized the importance of America’s achievements. But his education served merely as a foundation, for West wove his personal knowledge of colonial society into the works. Acknowledging the diversity of identities that America boasted, Benjamin West revealed the influence of this mélange of cultures on the colonies’ history. In such a way, West accentuated the complexity of the unique American culture.
Benjamin West, a proud colonist, hungered for the opportunity to demonstrate the values of his homeland. In The Death of General Wolfe, perhaps West’s most acclaimed painting, the painter defies traditional guidelines for historical works, depicting a near-contemporary event with modern dress (Zygmont). Such a risk, according to his advisors, would leave the piece lacking in the “timeless heroism” that depictions of the past required (Zygmont). But West’s gamble was celebrated as the birth of a new era of historical works (Miller). West had honored the present, deeming it of equal caliber to the bygone classical eras. Furthermore, in a period of global expansion and colonization, West compares the happenings of distant continents to the events of the past.
In The Death of General Wolf, the artist relies heavily upon European styles. The subject matter, the pivotal Battle of Quebec, was key to the English victory over its perennial rival France in the Seven Years’ War (Miller). West honors the British success through his meticulous realization of the European precedents he mastered in Italy (M.P.). Within the piece, viewers find West’s propensity to draw upon the styles of the Baroque period (M.P.). The stormy clouds and diagonal lines of motion infuse the work with vigor and vitality. The rich emotion that contorts the face of each individual envisions the range of English responses to the death and destruction of war. The wide eyes, furrowed brows, and hands clasped in prayer all symbolize the intense vulnerability of the violence. Making the piece innately personal, this detail draws West’s audience into the piece. The artist fostered interest in the Americas by drawing upon classic styles in his work.
Utilizing perhaps the most influential of canons in Western art, West formats the piece in likeness to the traditional “Lamentation” (Miller). A deep familiarity with this composition, doubtless acquired during his time in Italy, evidences itself in West’s unique usage of the arrangement. A shaft of light illuminates General Wolfe in the center of the piece. Lying limp, with a pasty pallor, Wolfe appears at peace with his fate. Behind him, soldiers lower the British flag, the cause of his ultimate demise. As soldiers gather around General Wolfe, mourning his death, he assumes the role of a martyr, for, like Christ, he has sacrificed himself for a “worthwhile cause” (M.P.). Through the deployment of a traditional Christian style representative of both pain and virtue, West further emphasizes the complexity of war.
West builds upon this familiarity with traditional compositions as he incorporates the lessons of his heritage. Integrating his unique knowledge of the American culture, West represents the heterogeneity of the Americas in his works. Raised with the values of tolerance and acceptance, West’s Quaker roots inspired his eager depiction of a range of cultures. For example, in The Death of General Wolfe, West exchanges historical accuracy for the ability to design a scene that denotes the diversity of America. The circle of identifiable men that surround Wolfe, depicted as his comrades, is a product of the artist’s mind (Zygmont). It is known that only one man, the flag bearer, was in fact present at Wolfe’s death (Zygmont). Through his art, West gathers together those whose great influence ensured the American and British victory, acknowledging their contributions in addition to Wolfe’s.
Benjamin West, aware that varying factions had buried their differences and fought side by side in the war, communicated the camaraderie and fraternity of the American forces. Integrating unique cultural groups, specifically the Indians, West visually emphasized this diversity. Realized only seven years after the true battle, the painting reflected upon the strengthening link between the Indian and American cultures (Zygmont). On the eve of a revolution, with tensions between the colonies and the British homeland escalating, West underscored the American dependency on the Native Americans.
Although General Wolfe occupies the center of the work, the crouched Indian nearby draws the eye of the viewer (Fryd). The curve of the Indian’s bowed back links the men via an imagined line, establishing a connection between the two societies (Fryd). The artist delineated the unique physical presence of both men, noting differences in their garb, complexion, and even hairstyle (Fryd). But these disparities are simply superficial. The Indian’s simple pose, with his chin to his fist in a manner reminiscent of Albrecht Durer’s Melancholia I, connotes weighty thought, with an underlying current of sorrow (Fryd). Thus, Wolfe implied that the Indian is consumed by thoughts of death, immediately in terms of the gore of battle and over time in terms of the decimation of his race (Fryd).
The link between the two men is further strengthened by the presence of a third body, a man boasting both a western coat and native leggings (Miller). Sir William Johnson, the man in question, began as a valued trading partner with the Iroquois but grew to serve as British ambassador to the tribe, in the process assuming many of their customs (Fryd). Drawing the Iroquois into the war, it was Johnson that ensured the British a valuable ally (Fryd). Although not present at the Battle of Quebec, Johnson stands beside Wolfe as an American hero and an invaluable resource to the British cause (Miller). Johnson and the Indian echo one another in profile, a stylistic device that mirrors their unanimity and harmony (Fryd). West carefully included a spectrum of races and cultures in his portrayal in an endeavor to demonstrate the multiple variables that governed English success. The colonists had differentiated themselves from their roots and influenced a rich culture of their own. West’s paintings, as some of the first accurate representations of American culture and societal traditions, introduce the value and importance of American uniqueness.
Perhaps Benjamin West’s greatest success was not his masterful skill with the brush but rather his keenness to shed light on the American culture he knew. With a fusion of his European training and his American rearing, West brought momentous American affairs to the eyes of the British. As in The Death of General Wolfe, Benjamin West was capable of composing a piece that both satisfies the desires of his audience for a polished depiction and satisfies his personal desires for proper recognition of American society.
One of the first true, native-born Americans to depict his homeland for foreign viewers, West’s desires to glorify the colonies inspired many. Welcoming countless American lads into his studios, West ingrained in them much of the same education he once received in Italy (Wilmerding). He sent them home to America with a newly endowed awareness of artistic principles (Wilmerding). Benjamin West gave birth to a new age of truly American artists. His students, including famed John Trumbull and Thomas Sully, followed in West’s footsteps, producing work that celebrated the individuality of American culture (Zygmont).
Works Cited
Fryd, Vivien Green. “Rereading the Indian in Benjamin West’s Death of General Wolfe.” 1995. JSTOR. 27 September 2012.
<http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.librarieshawaii.org:2048/stable/pdfplus/3109196.pdf?acceptTC=true>.
Miller, Angela, et al. American Encounters: Art, History, and Cultural Identity. London: Prentice Hall, 2008. 125 – 128.
M.P. “The Death of General Wolfe.” 2003. The National Gallery of Canada. 27 September 2012.
< http://bibcat.gallery.ca/articles/1216858.499/1.PDF>.
Wilmerding, John. American Art. Kingsport: Penguin Books, 1976. 40 – 44.
Zygmont, Bryan. “Benjamin West’s The Death of General Wolfe.” Smart History. 27 September 2012.
< http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/benjamin-wests-the-death-of-general-wolfe.html>.
Images Cited
“West, Benjamin.” 12 October 2002. Web Museum, Paris. 24 September 2012.
< http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/west/.>
A simple American born in Quaker-dominated Pennsylvania, Benjamin West had worldly dreams. West began training with European artist William Williams and continued until the age of twenty-two when he embarked upon a journey to Italy (Wilmerding). Once there, he pursued his artistic aspirations, gaining a repertoire of knowledge that allowed for his eventual establishment as a historical painter and portraitist in London (Miller). Despite his permanent residence in England, West stayed true to his American heritage in his diligent depiction of colonial history. This eagerness to portray recent successes in America’s development revolutionized the definition of a historical work (Zygmont). Drawing upon his familiarity with artistic precedents in historical and religious painting, West emphasized the importance of America’s achievements. But his education served merely as a foundation, for West wove his personal knowledge of colonial society into the works. Acknowledging the diversity of identities that America boasted, Benjamin West revealed the influence of this mélange of cultures on the colonies’ history. In such a way, West accentuated the complexity of the unique American culture.
Benjamin West, a proud colonist, hungered for the opportunity to demonstrate the values of his homeland. In The Death of General Wolfe, perhaps West’s most acclaimed painting, the painter defies traditional guidelines for historical works, depicting a near-contemporary event with modern dress (Zygmont). Such a risk, according to his advisors, would leave the piece lacking in the “timeless heroism” that depictions of the past required (Zygmont). But West’s gamble was celebrated as the birth of a new era of historical works (Miller). West had honored the present, deeming it of equal caliber to the bygone classical eras. Furthermore, in a period of global expansion and colonization, West compares the happenings of distant continents to the events of the past.
In The Death of General Wolf, the artist relies heavily upon European styles. The subject matter, the pivotal Battle of Quebec, was key to the English victory over its perennial rival France in the Seven Years’ War (Miller). West honors the British success through his meticulous realization of the European precedents he mastered in Italy (M.P.). Within the piece, viewers find West’s propensity to draw upon the styles of the Baroque period (M.P.). The stormy clouds and diagonal lines of motion infuse the work with vigor and vitality. The rich emotion that contorts the face of each individual envisions the range of English responses to the death and destruction of war. The wide eyes, furrowed brows, and hands clasped in prayer all symbolize the intense vulnerability of the violence. Making the piece innately personal, this detail draws West’s audience into the piece. The artist fostered interest in the Americas by drawing upon classic styles in his work.
Utilizing perhaps the most influential of canons in Western art, West formats the piece in likeness to the traditional “Lamentation” (Miller). A deep familiarity with this composition, doubtless acquired during his time in Italy, evidences itself in West’s unique usage of the arrangement. A shaft of light illuminates General Wolfe in the center of the piece. Lying limp, with a pasty pallor, Wolfe appears at peace with his fate. Behind him, soldiers lower the British flag, the cause of his ultimate demise. As soldiers gather around General Wolfe, mourning his death, he assumes the role of a martyr, for, like Christ, he has sacrificed himself for a “worthwhile cause” (M.P.). Through the deployment of a traditional Christian style representative of both pain and virtue, West further emphasizes the complexity of war.
West builds upon this familiarity with traditional compositions as he incorporates the lessons of his heritage. Integrating his unique knowledge of the American culture, West represents the heterogeneity of the Americas in his works. Raised with the values of tolerance and acceptance, West’s Quaker roots inspired his eager depiction of a range of cultures. For example, in The Death of General Wolfe, West exchanges historical accuracy for the ability to design a scene that denotes the diversity of America. The circle of identifiable men that surround Wolfe, depicted as his comrades, is a product of the artist’s mind (Zygmont). It is known that only one man, the flag bearer, was in fact present at Wolfe’s death (Zygmont). Through his art, West gathers together those whose great influence ensured the American and British victory, acknowledging their contributions in addition to Wolfe’s.
Benjamin West, aware that varying factions had buried their differences and fought side by side in the war, communicated the camaraderie and fraternity of the American forces. Integrating unique cultural groups, specifically the Indians, West visually emphasized this diversity. Realized only seven years after the true battle, the painting reflected upon the strengthening link between the Indian and American cultures (Zygmont). On the eve of a revolution, with tensions between the colonies and the British homeland escalating, West underscored the American dependency on the Native Americans.
Although General Wolfe occupies the center of the work, the crouched Indian nearby draws the eye of the viewer (Fryd). The curve of the Indian’s bowed back links the men via an imagined line, establishing a connection between the two societies (Fryd). The artist delineated the unique physical presence of both men, noting differences in their garb, complexion, and even hairstyle (Fryd). But these disparities are simply superficial. The Indian’s simple pose, with his chin to his fist in a manner reminiscent of Albrecht Durer’s Melancholia I, connotes weighty thought, with an underlying current of sorrow (Fryd). Thus, Wolfe implied that the Indian is consumed by thoughts of death, immediately in terms of the gore of battle and over time in terms of the decimation of his race (Fryd).
The link between the two men is further strengthened by the presence of a third body, a man boasting both a western coat and native leggings (Miller). Sir William Johnson, the man in question, began as a valued trading partner with the Iroquois but grew to serve as British ambassador to the tribe, in the process assuming many of their customs (Fryd). Drawing the Iroquois into the war, it was Johnson that ensured the British a valuable ally (Fryd). Although not present at the Battle of Quebec, Johnson stands beside Wolfe as an American hero and an invaluable resource to the British cause (Miller). Johnson and the Indian echo one another in profile, a stylistic device that mirrors their unanimity and harmony (Fryd). West carefully included a spectrum of races and cultures in his portrayal in an endeavor to demonstrate the multiple variables that governed English success. The colonists had differentiated themselves from their roots and influenced a rich culture of their own. West’s paintings, as some of the first accurate representations of American culture and societal traditions, introduce the value and importance of American uniqueness.
Perhaps Benjamin West’s greatest success was not his masterful skill with the brush but rather his keenness to shed light on the American culture he knew. With a fusion of his European training and his American rearing, West brought momentous American affairs to the eyes of the British. As in The Death of General Wolfe, Benjamin West was capable of composing a piece that both satisfies the desires of his audience for a polished depiction and satisfies his personal desires for proper recognition of American society.
One of the first true, native-born Americans to depict his homeland for foreign viewers, West’s desires to glorify the colonies inspired many. Welcoming countless American lads into his studios, West ingrained in them much of the same education he once received in Italy (Wilmerding). He sent them home to America with a newly endowed awareness of artistic principles (Wilmerding). Benjamin West gave birth to a new age of truly American artists. His students, including famed John Trumbull and Thomas Sully, followed in West’s footsteps, producing work that celebrated the individuality of American culture (Zygmont).
Works Cited
Fryd, Vivien Green. “Rereading the Indian in Benjamin West’s Death of General Wolfe.” 1995. JSTOR. 27 September 2012.
<http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.librarieshawaii.org:2048/stable/pdfplus/3109196.pdf?acceptTC=true>.
Miller, Angela, et al. American Encounters: Art, History, and Cultural Identity. London: Prentice Hall, 2008. 125 – 128.
M.P. “The Death of General Wolfe.” 2003. The National Gallery of Canada. 27 September 2012.
< http://bibcat.gallery.ca/articles/1216858.499/1.PDF>.
Wilmerding, John. American Art. Kingsport: Penguin Books, 1976. 40 – 44.
Zygmont, Bryan. “Benjamin West’s The Death of General Wolfe.” Smart History. 27 September 2012.
< http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/benjamin-wests-the-death-of-general-wolfe.html>.
Images Cited
“West, Benjamin.” 12 October 2002. Web Museum, Paris. 24 September 2012.
< http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/west/.>