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British Manufactory; A Sketch
Benjamin West (American, 1738–1820)1791
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Cleveland, United States
As part of his work for the British court, Benjamin West produced several compositions celebrating the strength of the nation's economy. In this example, women in classical costumes paint vases, spin, and weave—a comparison of British manufacturing with the accomplishments of antiquity. One of a series of nine related sketches, this design was copied as a large mural decorating the Queen's Lodge at Windsor Castle, a room eliminated by remodeling in 1823.
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Details
- Title: British Manufactory; A Sketch
- Creator: Benjamin West (American, 1738–1820)
- Date Created: 1791
- Physical Dimensions: Framed: 67.4 x 80 x 5.2 cm (26 9/16 x 31 1/2 x 2 1/16 in.); Unframed: 51 x 65 cm (20 1/16 x 25 9/16 in.)
- Provenance: Raphael L. West [1769-1850] and Benjamin West, Jr. [1772-1849], the artist's sons, by descent, (London sale, 1829), Mrs. S.J. Tuttle, Boston, MA, 1878, (William Macbeth Gallery, New York, NY, 1919, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
- Type: Painting
- Rights: CC0
- External Link: https://clevelandart.org/art/1919.1018
- Medium: oil on paper mounted on wood
- Inscriptions: signed lower center: B. West 1791
- Fun Fact: Benjamin West was the first American artist to attain international fame.
- Department: American Painting and Sculpture
- Culture: America, 18th century
- Credit Line: Gift of the John Huntington Art and Polytechnic Trust
- Collection: American - Painting
- Accession Number: 1919.1018
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