West & Copley Flashcards
1
Q
BENJAMIN WEST
A
BENJAMIN WEST
- American Career→ 1748-1760
- Moves to England in 1763
- Leaves for England becomes president of the Royal Academy 1792, was allowed in earlier
- Will Influence generations of American painters who travel to London to study
2
Q
A
Benjamin West
1768→ West, Agrippina Bringing the Ashes of Germanicus to Brundisium
- Showing of historical knowledge
- Sculptural, Neoclassical, nods to Classicism, looking back to Ancient forms.
- Background building could be based off of Robert Allen’s print Could be Diocletians palace. Central group from the frieze on Ara Pacis in Rome.
- Painting is meant to evoke idea of sacrificing one’s self for others– moralistic ideals, religious ideals. White dress=purity and morality
- “Poussinist”, tight linear style, strong direct lighting, horizontal lines, bold colors
- Her husband is Germanicus
3
Q
A
Benjamin West
1770→ Death of General Wolfe
- Shows recent history as a history painting
- Contemporary clothes
- Risky from English standpoint, Wolfe dies in Christ like position. Religious composition= universal understanding of the theme.
- Ground stops while battle rages on
- Shows North American because of Native American representation
- Reynolds claimed it was inappropriate because men were wearing modern clothes
- 7 Years War depiction
- As a result of this painting, West becomes history painter to King and plays off idea that he is Mr. America ;-) Seen as charming
- Because of the negative reaction from this painting, West didn’t do the Revolutionary War paintings (Trumbull did)
4
Q
A
1771→ Penn’s Treaty with the Indians
- Creation of Pennsylvania
- American’s trick Indians (relay)
5
Q
A
Benjamin West
1817 (1796) → Death on a Pale Horse
“Rubenist”, bold diagonals, high drama
6
Q
A
Matthew Pratt,
1765→ The American School
- Chippendale chair
- West’s studio in London, West is figure on left
7
Q
JOHN SINGLETON COPLEY
A
JOHN SINGLETON COPLEY
Born 1738
- Born in Boston
- 1774 he goes to England after talking to West for 9 years.
- Early portraits typical American (shadows on face)- Later/after England neoclassica
8
Q
A
John Singleton Copley
1765→ Henry Pelham, Boy with the Squirrel
He step towards English highs style
9
Q
A
John Singleton Copley,
Paul Revere,
1768,
10
Q
A
John Singleton Copley
1775 Mr and Mrs. Ralph Izard
- He started using Classical structure in the background
- Showing wealth in their clothes
- Shows travel with different antiquities
- Stayed in Copley’s studio for his life
11
Q
A
John Singleton Copley
1776 → Copley family.
Brushier, glazing, softness, color management, flow of light and shadow, focus
on faces rather than surroundings.
12
Q
A
John Singleton Copley
1778→ Watson and the Shark
- Watson had stake in the tea that would famously be thrown overboard during the Boston Tea Party
- Like West’s Gen. Wolfe, shows a recent history event but instead of being a well known figure like wolfe, Watson was a relatively unknown man with no real prominence (step further)
- Shows people in contemporary dress
- Savanah harbour background
- Sculptural representation of Watson- Classical references can be made to the figure.
- Prometheus story much more plausible- reflective of strength of human will and agency as a defining factor for determining success
- Figures arranges to strengthen the composition.
