The Columbiad

The Savage Chief Taking Leave of His Family on Going to War. This extraordinary effort of the American pencil on an American subject excited great admiration at Venice. The picture was engraved in that city by Bartolozzi, before either he or West went to England. The artists were surprised to find that the expression of the passions of men did not depend on the robes they wore. And his early works in London, The Death of Wolfe, The Battles of the Boyne, Lahogue, etc., engraved by Woollett and others, not only established his reputation, but produced a revolution in the art. So that modern dress has now become as familiar in fictitious as in real life; it being justly considered essential in painting modern history.

The engraving from his Wolfe has been often copied in France, Italy and Germany; and it may be said that in this picture the revolution in painting really originated. It would now be reckoned as preposterous in an artist to dress modern personages in Grecian or Roman habits, as it was before to give them the garb of the age and country to which they belonged.

The merit of Mr. West was early noticed and encouraged by the king; who took him into pay with a convenient salary, and the title of historical painter to his majesty. In this situation he has decorated the king’s palaces, chapels and churches with most of those great pictures from the English history and from the Old and New Testament, which compose so considerable a portion of his works.

The following catalogue of his pictures was furnished me by Mr. West himself in the year 1802. It comprises only his principal productions in historical painting, and only his finished pictures; without mentioning his numerous portraits or his more numerous sketches and drawings.

The pictures marked thus * have been engraved. The ciphers express the size of the pictures. When the same subject is mentioned more than once, there is more than one picture on that subject.

In the Queen’s House.

• * Regulus Departing from Rome.

• * Death of Wolfe.

• * Death of Epaminondas.

• * Death of Chevalier Bayard.

• * Cyrus, with a King and Family Captives.

• * Hannibal Sworn When a Child.

• Damsel Accusing Peter.

• Apotheosis of the Two Young Princes.

• Germanicus, with Segestus and His Daughter Prisoners.

In the King’s Apartments at Windsor.

• Edward III crossing the Somme.

• Edward III crowning Ribemond at Calais.

• The Six Burgesses of Calais Before Edward.

• Battle of Cressy, Edward Embracing His Son.

• St. George Destroying the Dragon.

• Battle of Poitiers, King of France Prisoner to the Black Prince.

• Institution of the Order of the Garter.

• Battle of Nevilcross.

• Christ’s Crucifixion.

• The same on glass for the west window of the church at Windsor. 36 feet by 28.

• Peter, John and Women at the Sepulchre.

• The same on glass for the east window of the same church, 36 feet by 28.

• The Angels Appearing to the Shepherds.

• Nativity of Christ.

• Kings Presenting Gifts to Christ.

In the Marble Gallery, Windsor Castle.

• Hymen Dancing with the Hours Before Peace and Plenty.

• Boys with the Insignia of Riches.

• Boys with the Insignia of the Fine Arts.

In the King’s Chapel at Windsor.

A complete history of Revealed Religion, divided into four dispensations, and comprised in thirty-eight pictures.

• Patriarchal Dispensation.

  • Adam and Eve Created. 9 feet by 6.

  • Adam and Eve Driven from Paradise. Ditto.

  • The Deluge. Ditto.

  • Noah Sacrificing. Ditto.

  • Abraham Going to Sacrifice Isaac. Ditto.

  • Birth of Jacob and Esau. Ditto.

  • Death of Jacob, Surrounded by His Sons. Ditto.

  • Bondage of the Israelites in Egypt. Ditto.

• Mosaical Dispensation.

  • Moses Called. Ditto.

  • Moses and Aaron Before Pharaoh, Their Rods Turned to Serpents. 15 feet by 10.

  • Pharaoh’s Army Lost in the Sea.

  • Moses Receiving the Law. 18 feet by 12.

  • Moses Consecrating Aaron and His Sons to the Priesthood. 15 feet by 10.

  • Moses Shows the Brazen Serpent. 15 feet by 10.

  • Moses on Mount Pisgah Sees the Promised Land and Dies. 9 feet by 6.

  • Joshua Passing the Jordan. Ditto.

  • The Twelve Tribes Drawing Their Lots. Ditto.

  • David Called and Anointed. Ditto.

• Gospel Dispensation.

  • John Baptist Called and Named. Ditto.

  • Christ Born. Ditto.

  • Christ Offered Gifts by the Wise Men. Ditto.

  • Christ Among the Doctors. Ditto.

  • Christ Baptized and the Holy Spirit Descending on Him. 15 feet by 10.

  • Christ Healing the Sick. 15 feet by 10.

  • Christ’s Last Supper. Ditto.

  • Christ’s Crucifixion. 36 feet by 28.

  • Christ’s Resurrection, Peter, John and the Women at the Sepulchre. Ditto.

  • * Christ’s Ascension. 18 feet by 12.

  • Peter’s First Sermon, Descent of the Holy Spirit. 15 feet by 10.

  • The Apostles Preaching and Working Miracles. Ditto.

  • Paul and Barnabas Turning from the Jews to the Gentiles. Ditto.

• Apocalyptic Dispensation.

  • John Seeing the Son of Man, and Called to Write. 9 feet by 6.

  • The Throne Surrounded by the Four Beasts, and Saints Laying Down Their Crowns. 9 feet by 6.

  • Death on the Pale Horse and the Opening of the Seals. Ditto.

  • The White Horse and His Legions, and the Man Destroying the Old Beast. Ditto.

  • General Resurrection, the End of Death. Ditto.

  • Christ’s Second Coming. Ditto.

  • The New Jerusalem. Ditto.

In the collection of Mr. Beckford.

• Michael and His Angels Casting Out the Red Dragon and His Angels.

• The Woman Clothed with the Sun.

• John Called to Write the Apocalypse.

• The Beast Rising Out of the Sea.

• The Mighty Angel, One Foot on Sea the Other on Land.

• St. Anthony of Padua.

• The Madre Dolorosa.

• Simeon with the Child in His Arms.

• Landscape, with a Hunt in the Background.

• Abraham and Isaac Going to Sacrifice.

• Thomas à Becket.

• Angel in the Sun.

• Order of the Garter, Differing in Composition from That at Windsor.

In the Collection of Earl Grosvenor.

• The Shunamite’s Son Raised to Life by Elisha.

• Jacob Blessing the Sons of Joseph.

• * Death of Wolfe.

• * Battle of Lahogue.

• * Battle of the Boyne.

• * Restoration of Charles II.

• * Cromwell Dissolving the Parliament.

• The Golden Age.

• General Wolfe When a Boy.

In the Collection of