Benjamin West

1 portrait of Benjamin West

© National Portrait Gallery, London

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Benjamin West

by George Dawe, published by and after Andrew Robertson
mezzotint, published 10 May 1804
14 5/8 in. x 11 3/4 in. (370 mm x 297 mm) paper size
Acquired, 1957
Reference Collection
NPG D37700

Sitterback to top

  • Benjamin West (1738-1820), History painter and President of the Royal Academy. Sitter associated with 43 portraits, Artist or producer associated with 39 portraits.

Artistsback to top

  • George Dawe (1781-1829), History and portrait painter. Artist or producer associated with 45 portraits.
  • Andrew Robertson (1777-1845), Miniature painter. Artist or producer associated with 15 portraits.

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Events of 1804back to top

Current affairs

William Pitt returns to office and forms a second coalition administration, retaining many of those who had served under his predecessor Henry Addington but specifically excluding his arch rival Charles James Fox .

Art and science

William Blake starts writing Jerusalem. One of his most ambitious allegorical poems, it took nearly eight years to complete.
Amidst infighting about submissions to the annual exhibition, attempts are made to unseat painter Benjamin West as President of the Royal Academy and elect architect James Wyatt instead.

International

Napoleon declares himself Emperor of France and is crowned as Napoleon I by Pope Pius VII in Paris.
Haiti achieves independence led by Toussaint L'Ouverture, the patriot and martyr who had seized control from the French in 1801. He becomes a symbolic figure of freedom for the British anti-slavery movement.

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