The Death of General James Wolfe (1727-1759) (after Benjamin West PRA)
George Roth (fl.1771-1815)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
1784 (signed and dated)
Materials
Oil on canvas
Measurements
622 x 832 mm (24 1/2 x 32 3/4 in)
Place of origin
England
Order this imageCollection
Quebec House, Kent
NT 529071
Caption
A reduced sized version of Benjamin West’s famous painting ‘Death of General Wolfe’. This version, by George Roth, shows Wolfe dying having lead the British Army to victory at the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in 1759. Although similar to West’s original, Roth added to the emotion of the painting by adding more tears to the eyes of the soldiers gathered around Wolfe as well as adding to his wounds.
Summary
Oil painting on canvas, The Death of Wolfe (after Benjamin West PRA) by George Roth (fl.1771-1815), signed and dated: G. Roth 1784.
Full description
This reduced size version of Benjamin West’s ‘Death of General Wolfe’ was for many years considered to be by the artist until cleaning revealed the signature of George Roth and the date 1784. West’s masterpiece was in such demand that he himself painted at least six large versions as well as a number of smaller copies. Public demand was not satisfied by ownership of Wollett’s engraving and many other artists produced their own versions of West’s painting. Superficially identical, Roth has emphasised the emotive elements to add further drama to West’s work; the soldiers looking on in adulation now have more pronounced tears in their eyes, Wolfe’s wounds are more severe, the bandages have more blood with blood even dripping to the ground from the wound in Wolfe's chest.
Provenance
Bought for Quebec House in 1948 by the Trustees of the Mrs Learmont (Montreal) Fund
Marks and inscriptions
G.Roth 1784 (signed and dated)
Makers and roles
George Roth (fl.1771-1815), artist after Benjamin West (Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 1738 - London 1820), artist
Exhibition history
On the Trails of the Iroquois - Death of General Wolfe, Martin Gropius Bau, Berlin, Germany, 2013 - 2014 On the Trails of the Iroquois - Death of General Wolfe, Kunst und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn, Germany, 2013 - 2014