Who is Benjamin West?

In reading several of the works surrounding the life of Benjamin West, an American-born artist, I was struck by the amount that might be considered trustworthy. There are some things which are matters of fact, such as the fact that he went to Italy to study art, that he eventually became the historical artist for George III of England, or that he was president of the Royal Academy of Arts. There is more to West, however, and those things are perhaps more important to understanding the reason his work went against convention.

The degree to which West appears to be focused on his image seems to make any real determination about his uncorroborated statements impossible. Anyone who sends notes on paper with over half of the page taken up with a portrait of themselves cannot be trusted to give an accurate account of their defining influences. It might not be that important, but West does seem to have made some real and lasting changes in the way historical art is practiced and interpreted. Whenever someone of that import emerges, it is interesting to learn the things that helped to shape them into the person they are. The work that claims to have that ability is the work by John Galt. Galt claims that it is largely an autobiography, but as Susan Rather notes, there is reason to doubt the veracity of Galt's authorship claims. Thus, we are left with an account of West's life, but the question remains: Who is Benjamin West?