British Manufactory; A Sketch

1791

Benjamin West

(American, born The Thirteen Colonies, 1738–1820)

Culture

America

Medium

oil on paper mounted on wood

Measurements

Framed: 67.4 x 80 x 5.2 cm (26 9/16 x 31 1/2 x 2 1/16 in.); Unframed: 51 x 65 cm (20 1/16 x 25 9/16 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of the John Huntington Art and Polytechnic Trust 1919.1018

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Location

203B British Painting and Decorative Arts

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Did You Know?

Benjamin West was the first American artist to attain international fame.

Description

As part of his work for the British court, Benjamin West produced several compositions celebrating the strength of the nation's economy. In this example, women in classical costumes paint vases, spin, and weave—a comparison of British manufacturing with the accomplishments of antiquity. One of a series of nine related sketches, this design was copied as a large mural decorating the Queen's Lodge at Windsor Castle, a room eliminated by remodeling in 1823.