Kentucky Collection

WILLIAM EDWARD WEST
(American, 1788-1857)

The Present, 1833
Oil on canvas
Bequest of Mrs. Blakemore Wheeler 1964.31.33

William Edward West was born in Lexington, Kentucky, which was considered the “Athens of the West” in the nineteenth century because of its impressive number of universities, libraries, and printing presses. West began his career as a portrait miniaturist, and became a popular genre and portrait painter during his lifetime. In addition to working throughout Europe, West, like many other portrait artists of the day, traveled extensively in the United States. He painted charming likenesses of prominent families and members of fashionable society not only in Lexington, but also in Philadelphia and New Orleans.

The Present is one of several paintings by West with a bridal theme. In it the artist depicts a young bride examining a long strand of amethyst gemstones set in gold, which has been taken from a box of jewels she has been given. The painting showcases West’s ability to convey a variety of personalities and moods. It is a study of gesture and facial expressions as the bride’s family and friends each react to her gift. West demonstrates great skill in rendering a wide range of emotions, such as awe, envy, indifference, and joy on the figures’ faces