Know Thy Self Benjamin West (American, 1738-1820). Know Thy Self, 1768. Iron gall ink and washes, and oil impasto and washes on ivory, moderately thick, moderately textured laid paper., Sheet: 18 3/4 x 25 1/2 in. ( x cm). Most likely a preliminary study for a never-realized history painting, Benjamin West’s wash drawing presents an allegorical vision of London’s Royal Academy of Arts, a professional artists’ organization founded in 1768, as a gathering of learned men from different epochs. Some figures wear classical togas, while others don contemporary wigs and robes. Additional ref
Know Thy Self Benjamin West (American, 1738-1820). Know Thy Self, 1768. Iron gall ink and washes, and oil impasto and washes on ivory, moderately thick, moderately textured laid paper., Sheet: 18 3/4 x 25 1/2 in. ( x cm). Most likely a preliminary study for a never-realized history painting, Benjamin West’s wash drawing presents an allegorical vision of London’s Royal Academy of Arts, a professional artists’ organization founded in 1768, as a gathering of learned men from different epochs. Some figures wear classical togas, while others don contemporary wigs and robes. Additional references to enlightenment—including the bright spotlight in the composition’s center and the bust of Minerva, the goddess of wisdom, in the background—symbolize the noble endeavors of the institution and its commitment to the classical tradition. American Art 1768
Size: 1973px × 2532px
Photo credit: © BBM / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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