Encyclopaedia Americana: a popular dictionary of arts, sciences, literature, history, politics and biography, brought down to the present time : including a copious collection of original articles in American biography : on the basis of the seventh edition of the German Conversations-Lexicon (Volume 13).

Date:: 1830-33

Credit: Encyclopaedia Americana: a popular dictionary of arts, sciences, literature, history, politics and biography, brought down to the present time : including a copious collection of original articles in American biography : on the basis of the seventh edition of the German Conversations-Lexicon (Volume 13). Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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136 their likenesses. He likewise executed a painting of the death of Socrates, for a gunsmith of Lancaster, who had a clas- sical turn. On his return to Springfield, his future career became the subject of anxious consideration; and, finally, the matter was submitted, by his parents, to the wisdom of the society to which they be- longed. A deliberation was accordingly held, the result of which was, that, though the Quakers refuse to recognise the utili- ty of painting to mankind, they allowed the youth to follow the vocation for which he was so plainly destined. Soon after- wards, however, he took a step utterly at variance with the principles of the sect; but, strange as it may seem, he received neither admonition or remonstrance. This was to join the troops under general Forbes, who proceeded in search of the relics of the army of general Braddock. He was called home in a short time, by intelligence of the illness of his mother, and arrived only in time to receive the welcome of her eyes and her mute bless- ing. This was a severe blow, for he was devotedly attached to her. In his eigh- teenth year, he removed to Philadelphia, where he established himself as a por- trait painter. His success was consider- able ; and, after painting the heads of all who desired it in that city, he repaired to New York, where his profits were, also, not insignificant. In 1760, by the kind- ness of some friends, he was enabled to proceed to Italy ; and, July 10 of that year, he reached Rome. There he ob- tained access to some of the most distin- guished personages, and first made him- self known as an artist by a portrait of lord Grantham, which was attributed, for a time, to Mengs. Afl;er recovering from an illness of eleven months' duration, he visited the diflferent cities of Italy for the purpose of inspecting the works of the great masters scattered through them. After his return to Rome, he painted a picture of Cimon and Iphigenia, and another of Angelica and Medora, which increased his reputation, and opened the way to, those marks of academic appro- bation usually bestowed on fortunate art- ists. He was elected a member of the academies of Parma, Florence and Bo- logna, to the former of which he pre- sented a copy of the St. Jerome of Cor- reggio, of great excellence. In 1763, he went to London, intending to proceed to his native countiy; but, finding that there was a great probability of his suc- cess as a historical painter in that me- tropolis, he established himself there. His rise was rapid. He was introduced to the king, George III, whom he ever found a steady friend and munificent pat- ron, and by whom, on his first ])resenta- tion, he was directed to paint the picture of the departure of Regulus Irom Rome. Lord Rockingham made him an offer of a permanent engagement, with a salary of £700 a year, to embellish, with historical paintings, his mansion in Yorkshire ; but he preferred depending on the public. He continued to be the king's painter un- til the monarch became superannuated, executing numerous works on historical and religious subjects, besides a few por- traits. On the death of sir Joshua Rey- nolds, he had been elected president of the royal academy, and took his place, March 24, 1792. He delivered an address on the occasion, which was much applauded. When George III was first seized with the mental malady which incapacitated him for the duties of government. West was engaged in executing various reli- gious pictures for the chapel at Windsor; but when that event occurred, he was in- formed that his labors must be suspended until further orders. On the recovery of the king, he was directed to go on with the works; but, on the recurrence of his illness, he was again ordered to suspend them. The story of his dismissal from court was spread abroad, with many ag- gravations, by the malevolence of ene- mies whom his success had created; and injurious statements were circulated re- specting the sums which he had received for his pictures. In consequence, he published an account of what he had ob- tained, which was no more than a just compensation for his labors. During the peace of Amiens, he went to Paris, for the purpose of beholding the splendid collec- tion, which Napoleon had placed in the Louvre, of the masterpieces of art, and was treated, in that city, with the greatest distinction by the most prominent per- sons of the imperial court. Soon after his return to London, he retired from his seat as president of the royal academy, where he had to encounter an opposition strong in numbers and ability ; but, in a short time, he was restored to it by an al- most unanimous vote, there being but one dissenting voice. In his sixty-fifth year, he painted the celebrated picture of Christ healing the sick, for the Quakers of Phila- delphia, to aid them in the erection of an hospital in that town. It was exhibit- ed in London, where the rush to see it was very great, and the ojiinion of its ex- * cellencesohigh that he was offered 3000

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