Study for "Alexander III, King of Scotland, Saved from a Stag by Colin Fitzgerald" 1784

Benjamin West's "Study for 'Alexander III, King of Scotland, Saved from a Stag by Colin Fitzgerald'" is a preparatory drawing for his larger oil painting. This 1784 black chalk drawing depicts a dramatic scene of a hunting accident, where the king is shown falling from his horse and being saved by his loyal servant. The sketch, now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, reveals the artist's process of composition and figure study, highlighting the dynamic movement and emotion of the narrative. West's renowned history paintings often focused on heroic narratives, and this drawing embodies the energy and emotion he aimed to capture in his final painting.