Study for a painting of The Angels Appearing to the Shepherds, 1774 1772 - 1774

Benjamin West created this study in 1774 using brush and brown wash, with touches of pen and blue ink. The composition swirls with celestial figures emerging from a dark, undefined space. Note the interplay of light and shadow that models the forms. West's approach to form, particularly his use of classical figures, hints at a structural engagement with traditional artistic conventions. The figures are placed as if they are floating; the angels do not stand on firm ground. This instability suggests a break from Renaissance perspectival systems. The work can be viewed as semiotic interplay. The scroll, a symbol of divine announcement, alongside the cherubic figures, could be seen as signs pointing to theological narratives. This work challenges fixed meanings and engages with new ways of thinking about representation. Ultimately, the formal structure – the unstable composition and use of light – functions not just aesthetically, but also as part of a larger cultural and philosophical discourse.