Chapter XXVII: Benjamin West

A native of Pennsylvania--Circumstances attending his birth--The child of promise--First indications of genius--The baby's portrait--Lessons from the Indians--The box of colors--The truant pupil--The mother's discovery---West's opinion of his first picture--The little portrait painter--The first attempt at historical painting--"The Death of Socrates"--Choosing a profession--Dedicated to his work--A fighting Quaker--Establishes himself in New York--Visits Europe--Arrival at Rome, and reception there--Visit to the Apollo Belvidere--West's criticism--Travels and labors on the continent--Visits England--His reception there--Urged to stay--Decides to make England his home--Sends for his bride--Marriage--"Agrippina Landing with the Ashes of Germanicus"--Success of the picture--The king becomes his friend--The most famous works of Benjamin West--"The Death of Wolfe"--Reception of the picture by the public--West triumphs over the critics, and inaugurates a new era of historical painting--Death of the king--West is elected President of the National Academy--His resignation and re-election--Closing years of a great career--Personal appearance--Leigh Hunt's description of him--Death--Burial in St. Paul's Cathedral.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

JOHN ROGERS.

Birth--Early years--Begins life as a clerk in a dry goods store--Artistic talent--Opposition of his parents--A change in his plans--Becomes an engineer--Failure of his eyes--Voyage to Spain--Return home--Becomes a machinist--Promoted--Learns to model in clay--Commences his studies in art--A hard life, and a noble perseverance--A change for the better--A sudden reverse--Out of work--Visits Europe to study his art--Returns home in despair--Enters the service of the surveyor of the city of Chicago--His first statuettes--Their success--A new field opened to him--Visits New York, and learns the new method of casting figures--Establishes himself in New York--His first studio--Immediate popularity of his works--Description of them--Removes to a new studio--His later works--Process by which they are made-Originality of the artist rewarded by the public--Personal characteristics.