, engraved by Woollett and others, not only
established his reputation, but produced a revolution in the Art. So that
modern dress has now become as familiar in fictitious as in real life; it
being justly considered essential in painting modern history.
The engraving from his Wolfe has been often copied in France, Italy and
Germany; and it may be said that in this picture the revolution in painting
really originated. It would now be reckoned as preposterous in an artist
to dress modern personages in Grecian or Roman habits, as it was before to
give them the garb of the age and country to which they belonged.
The merit of Mr. West was early noticed and encouraged by the king; who
took him into pay with a convenient salary, and the title of historical
painter to his majesty. In this situation he has decorated the king's
palaces, chapels and churches with most of those great pictures from the
English history and from the Old and New Testament, which compose so
considerable a portion of his works.
The following catalogue of his pictures was furnished me by Mr. West
himself in the year 1802. It comprises only his principal productions in
_historical_ painting, and only his _finished_ pictures; without
mentioning his numerous portraits, or his more numerous sketches and
drawings.
The pictures marked thus * have been engraved.
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