The death of General Wolfe.

WEST, Benjamin.

About this Item

London, Woollett, Boydell & Ryland, 1776. Contemporary handcoloured engraving after Benjamin West by William Woollett. Ca. 47 x 59,5 cm. The Death of General Wolfe is a 1770 painting by Anglo-American artist Benjamin West (1738-1820), commemorating the 1759 Battle of Quebec, where General James Wolfe (1727-1759) died during his famous victory over the French at Quebec, which delivered Canada into the hands of the British, known as The Battle of the Plains of Abraham, also known as the Battle of Quebec. The painting, containing vivid suggestions of martyrdom, broke a standard rule of historical portraiture by featuring individuals who had not been present at the scene and dressed in modern, instead of classical, costumes. It depicts the general surrounded by his officers and a native American warrior, with ships in the background. Despite the fact that the painting is a more dramatized version of Wolfe's death than reality, West's work was groundbreaking for art of its time. Some consider the depiction of the Indigenous warrior in the painting, by kneeling with his chin on his fist and looking at General Wolfe an idealization inspired by the noble savage concept. The original heroic painting by Benjamin West of 1770 was an instant success and the engraving by William Woollett which followed was one of the most commercial successful prints ever published (Von Erffa & Staley, The paintings of Benjamin West, p.213). In death, General Wolfe gained fame as a national hero and became an icon of the Seven Years' War and British dominance in late eighteenth century North America. William Woollett's engraving was the best-known copy of West's original and It has become one of the best-known images in 18th-century art. - Mounted on linnen, occasionally faint rubbing, otherwise fine.

Seller Inventory # 32289

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The death of General Wolfe.
• Seller catalogs:
  • America