It was also fought in their remote colonies such as the Americas between France and England as colonial powers. The Battle of Quebec was a pivotal battle in the Seven Years’ War which started as a European War. West became known for his history paintings, which use expressive figures, colors, and compositional schemes to help the spectator to identify with the scene represented. The Death of General Wolfe was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1771 and became one of the most frequently reproduced images of the period. This painting was Benjamin West’s most famous, and influential painting. General Wolfe is portrayed as a Christ-like figure, and the composition resembles Christian “Lamentation” scenes, where Christ is held in the embrace of his followers. Despite the dramatized interpretation of Wolfe’s death and its lack of reality, this painting was groundbreaking for its time. This painting is an idealized representation of what would have been a very chaotic battle scene. West is quoted as saying that “Art is the representation of human beauty, ideally perfect in design, graceful and noble in attitude.” This image was so popular that West made an identical painting of the same scene for George III of the United Kingdom, one year after this painting. In total, four other additional versions of the Death of General Wolfe were also produced by West. In death, General Wolfe gained fame as a national hero and became an icon of the Seven Years’ War and British dominance in North America.
Unfortunately, General Wolfe was killed by musket wounds. General Wolfe commanded the British Army and successfully held the British line against the French and won the battle. This painting captures a pivotal event in the Seven Years’ War that decided the fate of France’s colonies in North America. “Death of General Wolfe” by Benjamin West depicts the death of British General James Wolfe at the 1759 Battle of Quebec during the French and Indian War. “Death of General Wolfe” by Benjamin West
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