Benjamin West was born in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, the son of a rural innkeeper. He travelled briefly to New York where he rapidly made a reputation as a portrait painter. In 1760 he was sent to Europe under the patronage of wealthy Philadelphians, and arrived in Rome in the same year, later moving to Bologna and on to Florence and Venice. The Italian trip forged his style, absorbing ancient, renaissance and contemporary Neoclasical art.

In 1763 West arrived in London with the intention of spending a short time there but his reception was tremendous and he quickly decided to remain permanently. In 1765 he was elected a member of the Incorporated Society and three years later was one of the founding members of the Royal Academy. On 24th March 1792, after the death of Sir Joshua Reynolds, he became the President of the Academy.

Possibly one of Benjamin West's most well known paintings was the famous Death of General Wolfe, painted in 1771, as a result of which George III named him the royal history painter, although he later lost royal favour when he publicly praised Napoleon and visited him in Paris, (oddly George seems to have forgiven his outspoken support of the American revolutionaries). He specialised in historical scenes, both of medieval content as well as contemporary events, and later in life produced religious paintings as well. He was certainly the first American artist to achieve an international reputation and despite living most of his life in England profoundly influenced American painting.

Examples of the artists work can be found in most major and minor institutions around the world.