Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-11-28

west vas Of Cnaker lineage. Szeh
- the rude eoe3itio1 Of The Arss m
- pe,ehhUAood q thss tine thae In
firss initsssioz into axf ssa - sznple -
that Of GsOtfo. AZ nine yeArs 81 age
be dreg kaiss fron Q csfs tAil. asd
made hiaself . br1se- sCoioss be OBJ
tanned by grading charcoal and chalk,
and crashing the red blood out froE
the Blackberry. His mothers laundry
furnAhsd hun SIh Indigo. and the
friepdly IndiAr.s sho came % his e.
TIERS house give HIM Of the red and yel-
lov ezrths with which they dsabed
their faces. With sneh rude materials
the lad painted . ehld s1eeping IN its
cradle, and N that frst effort OF preco-
csous genius executed certain touches
which be never surpassed, - be affirm
ed long after, when at the zenitt Of his
remarkable career.
How, from such primitive efforts. the
Quaker youth gradually worked into
local fame, went to Italy and acquired
position there, and then settled in Eng
land, became the favored pr0segs Of the
king for forty years, and the President
Of the National Academy of Great Brit
ain-these are all matters Of history,
and IS West never forgot his love for
his native land, entitle him to the re-
spectful remembrance not only of art
lists, but of all his countrymen. Amer
lean art has every reason. also, to cher.
ish his memory with profound graft
tude, for no painter ever conducted
himself with greater kindness and gen.
erosity to the rising, struggling artists
of his native land. No sooner did our
early painters reach London than they
resorted for aid or guidance to West,
and found in him q friend who lent
them his powerful influence without
grudging, or allowed them TO set up
their easels in his studio and gave them
all the instruction in his power. Trum-
bull, Stuart, Dunlap, and many others,
long after they had forgotten the nstu-
raj foibles Of West, had reason to re-
member how great had been the services
be had rendered to the aspiring artists
of his transatlantic home. Is....
Benjamin West appears to have been
born with great natural powers, which
matured rapidly, and early ceased to
in excellence proportioned TO
his extraordinary industry and fidelity
to his art, But while Q general even
ness of duality rather than striking ex-
cellence in any particular works was
the characteristic of the art Of West,
together with . certain brick-red tone
in his colors, not always agreeable, yet
a share Of genius must be granted to
the artist VINO painted "The Departure
of Regulus," Death on the Pale
Horse" and 4" The Death of Wolfe."
1t nnquestionably implied daring aud
consciousness of power to brave the
opposition of contemporary opinion,
and abandon classic costume in histor-
ical competitions. In this innovation
he won to his side the judgment of Sir
Joshua Reynolds, and effected revo-
luton In certain phases of art. Not
withstanding this, however, West was
emphatically man of his time, mold
ed by 1t rather than forming it, and
inclined to conventionalism. When he
entered the arena art Was in . depressed
condition both in Italy, where he stud
led, and in England. When Reynolds
and Gainsborough gave fresh impulse
to art, Vests genius had already ma
tured, md, was incapable of making
further PROGRESSES. G. W, BENJAMIN,
IN Uatper's Magosine.