Benjamin West

Inscriptionback to top

Incised: BENJ^N WEST, P.R.A./CHANTREY./SCULPTOR./1818.
The eyeballs are drilled.

This portraitback to top

Another marble version, possibly the original though in no way superior to NPG 607, is in the RA collection incised: CHANTREY. SC. 1818 and given as his Diploma Work in 1818; it was exhibited 'Treasures of the Royal Academy', RA, 1963 (232). Chantrey exhibited an earlier plaster model at the RA in 1811 together with those of Horne Tooke and J. R. Smith. Sir Francis Chantrey’s Ledgers of Accounts (p 29) record: Benjamin West's Bust/1817 Rec^d an order from Sir Simon Clarke Bart. to execute a Marble Bust of Benjamin West PRA/1818 To executing ditto £126.0.0/Rec^d Payment £126.0.0 FC. The plaster model (damaged) is in the Ashmolean Museum (660-148) and a cast is in the New York Historical Society collection. The profile of Chantrey's bust was used by William Wilson for the Art-Union medal 1866 (example in the NPG Reference Collection).

Provenanceback to top

Commissioned by Sir Simon Clarke; bought by the Trustees from R. Aldworth of Bournemouth 1880.

Exhibitionsback to top

This or another version was exhibited RA 1818 (1104); 'Sir Francis Chantrey', NPG and Sheffield, 1981 (11).


This extended catalogue entry is from the out-of-print National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: Richard Walker, Regency Portraits, National Portrait Gallery, 1985, and is as published then. For the most up-to-date details on individual Collection works, we recommend reading the information provided in the Search the Collection results on this website in parallel with this text.

View all known portraits for Sir Francis Leggatt Chantrey

View all known portraits for Benjamin West