The Life, Studies, and Works of Benjamin West, Esq Part 12

From the year 1769 the whole of the above pictures to 1779 were painted and paid for by His Majesty through the hands of Mr. R. Daulton and Mr.

G. Mathias.

1780. At this period His Majesty was graciously pleased to sanction my pencil with his commands for a great work on Revealed Religion, from its commencement to its completion, for pictures to embellish his intended New Chapel in Windsor Castle. I arranged the several subjects from the four Dispensations. His Majesty was pleased to approve the arrangement selected, as did several of the Bishops in whose hands he placed them for their consideration, and they highly approved the same.

His Majesty then honoured me with his commands, and did at that time, the better to enable me to carry it into effect, order his deputy privy-purse, Mr. G. Mathias, to pay me one thousand a year by quarterly payments, which was regularly paid as commanded; and the following are the subjects which I have painted from the Four Dispensations, for the Chapel, of various dimensions.

ANTIDELUVIAN DISPENSATION.

When painted. SUBJECTS. . s.

1780. 1. The expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise 535 0 2. The Deluge 525 0 3. Noah and his Family sacrificing 525 0

PATRIARCHAL DISPENSATION.

4. The Call of Abraham going to sacrifice his son Isaac 600 0 5. The Birth of Jacob and Esau 525 0 6. Joseph and his brothers in Egypt, composed, not painted.

7. The Death of Jacob surrounded by his sons in Egypt, ditto.

THE MOSAICAL DISPENSATION.

8. The Call of Moses, his Rod turned into a Serpent before the Burning Bush, composed, but not painted.

9. Moses and his brother Aaron before Pharaoh, their Rods turned into Serpents 1050 0 10. Moses destroying Pharaoh said his host in the Red Sea 1050 0 11. Moses receiving the Laws on Mount Sinai 1260 0 12. Moses consecrating Aaron and his sons to the priesthood 1050 0 13. Moses showing the Brazen Serpent to the infirm to be healed 1050 0 14. The Death of Aaron on Mount Hor, composed, but not painted.

15. Moses presenting Joshua to Eleazar the priest, and Congregation, as commanded, composed, but not painted.

16. Moses sees the Promised Land from the top of Mount Abarim, and Death, a sketch in oil colours.

17. Joshua commanding the Ark and Congregation to pa.s.s the river into the Promised Land, a sketch in oil colour.

THE PROPHETS.

18. The prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah 525 0 19. The prophet Samuel anointing David the son of Jesse, a sketch.

20. The prophesying of Zacharias at the birth of John his son 525 0 21. The Angels announcing the Birth of our Saviour, a cartoon for a painted-gla.s.s window, by Mr.

Forrest 525 0 22. The Birth of our Saviour, ditto, for painted gla.s.s, by ditto 525 0 23. The Wise Man's Offering, a cartoon for ditto 525 0 24. John the Baptist baptizing our Saviour, on whom the Holy Ghost descends 1050 0 25. Christ's Temptation and Victory in the Wilderness, a sketch.

26. Christ beginneth to preach at Nazareth, his native place, a sketch.

27. Christ healeth the Sick and Blind; &c. in the Temple 1050 0 28. The Last Supper; which picture His Majesty presented to St.

George's Chapel at Windsor 735 0 29. A Last Supper, painted for the King's Chapel 735 0 30. The Crucifixion, a study in oil colour, for the gla.s.s painting by Messrs. Jervis and Forrest to colour from, and the cartoon the size of the window 1050 0 31. The west end window of St.

George's Chapel, 28 feet wide by 36 high, for them to draw the figures from on the gla.s.s 1050 0 32. The Resurrection, a study in oil colour, for gla.s.s painting by Messrs. Jervis and Forrest to colour from 525 0 33. And the cartoon the size of the window at the east end of St.

George's Chapel, 28 feet wide by 36 high, to draw from on the gla.s.s 1050 0 And two side pictures 525 0 34. The a.s.sumption of our Saviour, for the King's Chapel 1050 0 35. Peter's first Sermon, or the Apostles receiving the Cloven Tongues 1050 0 36. Paul and Barnabas rejecting the Jews, and receiving the Gentiles 1050 0 ----------- [Total] 21,705 0 -----------

_Painted for His Majesty's State Rooms in Windsor Castle the following Pictures from the History of Edward III_.

1. Edward III. embracing his Son on the field of battle at Cressy 1365 0 2. The Installation of the most n.o.ble Order of the Garter 1365 0 3. Edward the Black Prince receiving John King of France and his son as prisoners 1365 0 4. St. George destroying the Dragon 630 0 5. Queen Philippa defeats David King of Scotland, at Nevil's Cross, and takes him prisoner 525 0 6. Queen Philippa soliciting Edward III. to save St. Pierre and the brave burgesses of Calais 525 0 7. Edward III. forcing the pa.s.sage of the river Somme in France 630 0 8. Edward III. crowning Ribemont at Calais 525 0 ----------- [Total] 6930 0 -----------

By His Majesty's commands I made nine designs for the ceiling in the Queen's Lodge, Windsor, for Mr.

Haas to work the ceilings from.

Viz. 1. Genius inspiring the fine arts to adorn the useful arts and sciences.

2. Agriculture. 3. Manufactures.

4. Commerce. 5. Botany. 6. Chemistry.

7. Celestial Science. 8. Terrestrial Science; and 9. To adorn Empire 525 0

Myself and son, with Mr. Rebecca, for painting transparent and water coloured pictures to adorn the marble gallery at a great evening entertainment in the Castle given by Their Majesties to the n.o.bility 250 0

Painted for His Majesty a whole-length portrait of Prince Octavius holding the King's sword 73 10

Painted for His Majesty the Apotheosis of Prince Octavius and Prince Alfred, in one picture, the size of life 315 0

A portrait of Prince Augustus, half length, for the Queen.

A second whole length of Her Majesty, with all the Royal children in the back-ground, which was placed in Windsor Castle, but at present in the Queen's Palace, London 262 10

A picture of Peter denying our, Saviour, of which His Majesty honoured me by accepting, two half-length figures, the size of life.

----------- [Total] 1426 0 -----------

This is a true statement of the numbers of pictures, cartoons, and drawings of designs, and sketches of scripture subjects, as well as historical events, British as well as Greek, Roman, and other nations, with which I had been honoured by the King's commands, from 1768, to 5th January 1801, to paint for His Majesty; and the charges I made for each was by him most graciously acknowledged, when my account was audited and allowed by Mr. G. Mathias, His Majesty's privy purse, who settled for debtor and creditor the whole amount between the above dates.

Benjamin West.

Appendix No. II.

_A Catalogue of thee Works of Mr. West_.

Regulus.

Hanibal.

Epaminondas.

Bayard.

Wolfe, the first and second.

Cyrus and the King of Armenia with his Family, captives.

Germanicus and Segestus with his Daughter, captives.

The Apotheosis of Prince Alfred and Prince Octavius.

The picture of the Damsel accusing Peter.

The Queen, with the Princess Royal, in one picture.

Prince Ernest and Prince Augustus; Princesses Augusta, Elizabeth, and Mary, in one picture.

Prince William and Prince Edward, in one picture.

Prince Octavius.