Description:
Hand-colored print of the "Death of General Wolfe", with "George Virtue, London & New York", "B. West, P.R.A.", and "S. Smith" (probably Sidney L. Smith (1845-1887), a Massachusetts engraver, painter, and etcher). It is based on Benjamin West's (1738-1820) "Death of Wolfe" done in 1770 and exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts in 1771. West left America for Italy in 1759 and then to England in 1763, where he was commissioned by King George III to create portraits of members of the royal family and appointed historical painter to the court in 1772. Major-General James Wolfe (1727-1759) was placed in command of the British forces in the expedition against Quebec in 1759. His troops successfully attacked Quebec on Sept. 13, 1759; five days later, the French surrendered ensuring the English control of Canada. However, the Battle of Quebec took the lives of Wolfe, the French commander in chief, Montcalm, and 1500 French soldiers. Wolfe became a romanticized hero in England, and his prints and other commemorative items were also popular in the American colonies. Wolfe's memory was particularly revered in Boston and other New England newspapers printed poems and odes to his courage and sacrifice. The scene depicts a dying Wolfe laying on the ground surrounded by fellow officers. A soldier kneeling besides Wolfe is holding a cloth to his wound, while two standing men look on, one carrying a large flag and another clutching his hands in prayer. A seated indian also gazes at Wolfe as the battle continues in the background.
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https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+78.105 |
