The Life, Studies, and Works of Benjamin West, Esq Part 4

Introduction.

Although Mr. West was, strictly speaking, a self-taught artist, yet it must be allowed that in his education he enjoyed great and singular advantages. A strong presentiment was cherished in his family, that he would prove an extraordinary man, and his first rude sketch in childhood was hailed as an a.s.surance of the fulfilment of the prediction of Peckover. The very endeavours of his boyish years were applauded as successful attainments; no domestic prejudices were opposed to the cultivation of his genius; even the religious principles of the community in which he lived were bent in his favour, from a persuasion that he was endowed by Heaven with a peculiar gift; and whatever the defects of his early essays may have been, it was not one of the least advantageous circ.u.mstances of his youth, that they were seen only by persons, who, without being competent judges of them, as works of art, were yet possessed of such a decided superiority of intellect, that their approbation in any case would have been esteemed great praise.

The incidents attending his voyage to Italy, and his introduction to the artists, virtuosi, and travellers at Rome, were still more auspicious.

Taken in connection with his previous history, they form one of the most remarkable ill.u.s.trations of the doctrine of fortune, or destiny, that is to be found in authentic biography. Without any knowledge of his abilities or acquirements, his arrival in the capital of Christendom, the seat of the arts, was regarded as an interesting event: his person was contemplated as an object of curiosity; and a strong disposition to applaud his productions, was excited by the mere accident of his having come from America to study the fine arts. A prepossession so extraordinary has no parallel. It would almost seem, as if there had been some arrangement in the order of things that would have placed Mr. West in the first cla.s.s of artists, although he had himself mistaken the workings of ambition for the consciousness of talent. Many men of no inconsiderable fame have set out in their career with high expectations in their favour; but few, of whom such hopes were entertained, have, by a succession of works, in which the powers of the mind were seemingly unfolded with more and more energy, so long continued to justify the presentiments of his early friends. It is not, however, the object of this undertaking to form any estimate of the genius of Mr. West, or of the merits of his works; another opportunity, distinct from his memoirs, will be taken for that purpose; but only to resume the narrative of his progress, in his profession, by which it will appear that a series of circ.u.mstances no less curious than those which tended to make him an artist, facilitated his success, and placed him in that precise station in society, where, in this country, at the time, there was the only chance of profitable employment as an historical painter.

Contents.

Part II.

Chap. I.

Mr. West arrives in England.--Relative Condition of Artists in Society.--Mr. West's American Friends in this Country.--Of Governor Hamilton and Mr. Allen.--Circ.u.mstances favourable to their Reception in the Circles of Fashion.--Mr. West's Visit to Bath, and Excursions to see some of the Collections of Art in England.--He settles as a Portrait Painter.--Introduction to Burke and Dr. Johnson.--Anecdote of a Monk, the Brother of Mr. Burke.--Introduction to Archbishop Drummond.--Mr. West's Marriage.

Chap. II.

Some Notice of Archbishop Drummond.--Mr. West paints a Picture for His Grace.--His Grace's Plan to procure Engagements for Mr. West as an Historical Painter.--Project for ornamenting St. Paul's Cathedral with Pictures.--Anecdote of Dr. Terrick, Bishop of London.--The Altar-piece of St. Stephen's Walbrook.--State of public Taste with respect to the Arts.--Anecdotes of Hogarth and Garrick.

Chap. III.

Archbishop Drummond's Address in procuring for Mr. West the Patronage of the King.--Singular Court Anecdote of a Lady of Fashion.--Character of the King in his Youth.--Anecdotes of the King and Queen,--The King employs Mr. West to paint the Departure of Regulus.--Mr. West's Celebrity as a Skater.--Anecdote of Lord Howe.--His Fame as a Skater of great Service in his professional Success.

Chap. IV.

The King's personal Friendship for Mr. West.--Circ.u.mstances which led to the Establishment of the Royal Academy.--First Exhibition of the Works of British Artists.--The Departure of Regulus finished, and taken to Buckingham House.--Anecdote of Kirby.--The Formation of the Royal Academy.--Anecdote of Reynolds.--The Academy inst.i.tuted.

Chap. V.

The Opening of the Royal Academy.--The Death of General Wolfe.--Anecdote of Sir Joshua Reynolds.--New Pictures ordered by the King.--Origin of the Series of Historical Pictures painted for Windsor Castle.--Design for a grand Chapel in Windsor Castle, to ill.u.s.trate the History of revealed Religion.--His Majesty's Scruples on the Subject.--His confidential Consultation with several eminent Divines.--The Design undertaken.

Chap. VI.

Singular Anecdote respecting the Author of the Letters of Junius,--Of Lachlan McLean.--Anecdote of the Duke of Grafton.--Of the Marquis of Lansdowne.--Of Sir Philip Francis; Critique on the Transfiguration of Raphael by Sir Philip Francis, and Objections to his Opinion.

Chap. VII.

Observations on Mr. West's Intercourse with the King.--Anecdote of the American War.--Studies for the Historical Pictures at Windsor Castle.--Anecdote of the late Marquis of Buckingham.--Anecdote of Sir Joshua Reynolds; and of the Athenian Marbles.--Election of Mr. West to the Presidency of the Royal Academy.--His Speech to the Academicians on that occasion.

Chap. VIII.

The first Discourse of Mr. West to the Students of the Academy.--Progress of the Arts.--Of the Advantages of Schools of Art.--On the Natural Origin of the Arts.--Of the Patronage which honoured the Patrons and the Artists.--Professional Advice.--Promising State of the Arts in Britain.

Chap. IX.

Discourse to the Royal Academy in 1794.--Observations on the Advantage of drawing the Human Figure correctly.--On the Propriety of cultivating the Eye, in order to enlarge the Variety of our Pleasures derived from Objects of Sight.--On characteristic Distinctions in Art.--Ill.u.s.trations drawn from the Apollo Belvidere, and from the Venus de Medici; comprehending critical Remarks on those Statues.

Chap. X.

Discourse to the Academy in 1797--- On the Principles of Painting and Sculpture.--Of Embellishments in Architecture.--Of the Taste of the Ancients.--Errors of the Moderns.--Of the good Taste of the Greeks in Appropriations of Character to their Statues.--On Draiwing.--Of Light and Shade.--Principles of Colouring in Painting.

--Ill.u.s.tration.--Of the Warm and Cold Colours.--Of Copying fine Pictures.--Of Composition.--On the Benefits to be derived from Sketching.--and of the Advantage of being familiar with the Characteristics of Objects in Nature.

Chap. XI.

Discourse.--Introduction.--On the Philosophy of Character in Art.--Of Phidias.--Of Apelles.--Of the Progress of the Arts among the Moderns.--Of Leonardo da Vinci.--Of Michael Angelo, Raphael, and Bartolomeo.--Of t.i.tian.--Of the Effects of Patronage.

Chap. XII.

Discourse.--Introduction.--Of appropriate Character in Historical Composition.--Architecture among the Greeks and Romans.--Of the Athenian Marbles.--Of the Ancient Statues.--Of the Moses and Saviour of Michael Angelo.--Of the Last Judgment of Michael Angelo.--Of Leonardo da Vinci.--Of Bartolomeo.--Of Raphael.--Of t.i.tian, and his St. Peter Martyr.--Of the different Italian Schools.--Of the Effects of the Royal Academy.--Of the Prince Regent's Promise to encourage the Fine Arts.

Chap. XIII.

Mr. West's Visit to Paris.--His distinguished Reception by the Members of the French Government.--Anecdote of Mr. Fox.--Origin of the British Inst.i.tution.--Anecdotes of Mr. Fox and Mr.

Percival.--Anecdote of the King.--History of the Picture of Christ Healing the Sick.--Extraordinary Success attending the Exhibition of the Copy in America.

Chap. XIV.

Reflections.--Offer of Knighthood.--Mr. Wyatt chosen President of the Academy.--Restoration of Mr. West to the Chair.--Intrigues respecting the Pictures for Windsor Castle.--Mr. West's Letter to the King.--Orders to proceed with the Pictures.--The King's Illness.--Mr.

West's Allowance cut off,--and the Pictures countermanded.--Death of Mrs. West.--Death of the Artist.

Appendix.

The Life and Works of Benjamin West

Chap. I.

Mr. West arrives in England.--Relative Condition of Artists in Society.--Mr. West's American Friends in this Country.--Of Governor Hamilton and Mr. Allen,--- Circ.u.mstances favourable to their Reception in the Circles of Fashion.--Mr. West's Visit to Bath, and Excursions to see some of the Collections of Art in England.--He settles as a Portrait Painter.--Introduction to Burke and Dr. Johnson.--Anecdote of a Monk, the Brother of Mr. Burke.--Introduction to Archbishop Drummond.--- Mr West's Marriage.

Mr. West arrived in England on the 20th of August, 1763. The sentiments with which he approached the sh.o.r.es of this island, were those of a stranger visiting interesting scenes, mingled with something of the solicitude and affections of a traveller returning home. He had no intention of remaining in London: he was only desirous to see the country of his ancestors, and his mind, in consequence, was more disengaged from professional feelings than at any period from that in which his genius was first awakened. He considered his visit to England as devoted to social leisure, the best kind of repose after mental exertion; but the good fortune which had hitherto attended him in so remarkable a manner, still followed him, and frustrated the intentions with which he was at that time actuated.

Those who have at all attended to what was then the state of the arts in this country, and more particularly to the relative condition of artists in society, and who can compare them with the state of both at the present period, will not hesitate to regard the arrival of Mr. West as an important event. In the sequel of this work, it may be necessary to allude to the moral and political causes which affect the progress of the fine arts, and opportunities will, in consequence, arise to show how meanly they were considered, how justly, indeed, it may be said, they were rejected, not only by the British public in general, but even by the n.o.bility. A few eminent literary characters were sensible of their importance, and lamented the neglect to which they were consigned; but the great body of the intelligent part of the nation neither felt their influence, nor were aware of their importance to the commerce and renown of the kingdom. Artists stood, if possible, lower in the scale of society than actors; for Garrick had redeemed the profession of the latter from the degradation to which it had been consigned from the time of the Commonwealth; but Reynolds, although in high repute as a portrait-painter, and affecting a gentlemanly liberality in the style of his living, was not so eminently before the public eye as to induce any change of the same consequence towards his profession.