Written by Jocelyn Boigenzahn, Curatorial Intern
Benjamin West (American, 1738 – 1820), The Honorable Mrs. Shute Barrington, 1808, oil on canvas, 50 1/8 x 40 3/16 in., Foundation Purchase, AP.1960.2.1.
Benjamin West, who was born in Pennsylvania, moved to Italy in 1760. After three years of study, primarily in Rome, West relocated to London. He became firmly established as a master painter and teacher, and was appointed Historical Painter to George III (1738-1820).
Jane Barrington (1733-1807) was the wife of the Right Reverend The Honorable Shute Barrington (1734-1826), Bishop of Llandaff. The Bible upon which Mrs. Barrington leans and the image of Durham Cathedral in the background allude to the couple’s service to the Church. Dated one year after Mrs. Barrington’s death, the work is a posthumous portrait commissioned by her husband.
