Elizabeth Shewell West and Her Son, Raphael

c. 1770

Benjamin West

(American, 1738–1820)

Culture

America

Medium

oil on canvas

Measurements

Framed: 88 x 87.5 x 9 cm (34 5/8 x 34 7/16 x 3 9/16 in.); Unframed: 66.5 x 66.3 cm (26 3/16 x 26 1/8 in.)

Credit Line

The Charles W. Harkness Gift 1927.393

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Location

204 Colonial American

Did You Know?

Born in colonial America, West eventually became a court painter to George III of England.

Description

West was the first American artist to study in Italy, where he spent three years before permanently settling in London. He so admired the artistic ideals of the Italian Renaissance master Raphael that he named his eldest son after him, and he imitated Raphael’s celebrated Madonna of the Chair when composing this tender double portrait of his wife and child.