The Death of General Wolfe Silk Pocket Square

The Death of General Wolfe is a 1770 painting by Benjamin West, commemorating the 1759 Battle of Quebec, where General James Wolfe died at the moment of victory. The painting contains vivid suggestions of martyrdom, and broke a standard rule of historical portraiture by featuring individuals who had not been present at the scene, dressed in modern instead of classical costumes. The painting has, however, become one of the best-known images in English art. In death, General Wolfe gained fame as a national hero and became an icon of the Seven Years’ War. Despite the fact that the painting is a more dramatised version of Wolfe's death than reality, West's work was still seen as groundbreaking for art of its time, and its success helped to further establish a new style of art.

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