Figures Looking out to Sea 

This pencil drawing, *Figures Looking out to Sea*, was created by Benjamin West at an unknown date in the 18th or early 19th century. West was an American-born artist who achieved considerable success in England, even becoming president of the Royal Academy. In this sketch, we see a group of figures gathered at what appears to be a barrier overlooking the sea. The clothing and hats suggest a certain level of affluence, a privilege that afforded them the leisure to stand and observe. The presence of dogs further alludes to their social standing, as hunting and companionship were typically associated with the upper classes. In this historical period, the sea represented a complex mix of opportunity, trade, and colonial expansion, but also of danger and the unknown. Gazing out at it, we can only wonder what they might be thinking and feeling.