FAH245H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: History Painting, Cles, Francis Peirson
Document Summary
2 this transition begins before the french revolution and one of the landmark paint- ings is one that is the death of general wolfe by benjamin west who was born in the. States but moves to england and he is one of the most important official painters in. West hasn"t only changed what it means to make a history painting but also changed the audience - not the king or aristocrats but he takes it directly to the public and an emerging commercial marketplace. Copely understands that paintings don"t compel attention on their own they need ancillary props that help connect the viewer into the picture. 5 even though we know it"s the death of major peirson we have to take a minute to locate him even though he"s in the centre because there is so much happening around him. Watson still lost a leg but was ultimately saved and became wealthy enough to have this painting commissioned.
