Object Details
- Artist
- Benjamin West, born Springfield, PA 1738-died London, England 1820
- Sitter
- Benjamin West
- Benjamin West
- Gallery Label
- Six months before he died, West looked unflinchingly into the mirror to paint his self-portrait. He holds a drawing pencil and wears a painter's robe and beaver hat, which identify him as a founder and president of the Royal Academy of Art. The light is strongest on his face and hands, but the rest of the picture falls into shadow, as if he foresaw his own end. West was official painter to the King of England and the first American artist to gain an international reputation. His example led generations of American artists to measure their art and professional identities by European standards.Exhibition Label, Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2006
- Credit Line
- Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the U.S. Capitol
- 1819
- Object number
- 1917.2.3
- Restrictions & Rights
- CC0
- Type
- Painting
- Medium
- oil on paperboard
- Dimensions
- 32 3/8 x 25 5/8 in. (82.2 x 65.0 cm.)
- See more items in
- Smithsonian American Art Museum Collection
- Department
- Painting and Sculpture
- Smithsonian American Art Museum
- Topic
- Dress\accessory\hat
- Occupation\art\painter
- Portrait male\self-portrait
- Portrait male\waist length
- Object\art tool
- Record ID
- saam_1917.2.3
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/vk78226d808-898b-4994-9bea-af1dfbfcbf64
