The Wise Men’s Offering 

Benjamin West created this oil on canvas, The Wise Men’s Offering, to depict the gifts to the Christ Child. This kind of painting was in high demand in Europe, particularly England, throughout the 18th century. As an American artist who spent his adult life in Britain, West was well-attuned to the conservative tastes of the art establishment. He quickly rose through the ranks and became president of the Royal Academy. His history paintings conformed to the expectations of the Academy in their deployment of Christian imagery and celebration of hierarchy and order. To understand the role of paintings like this we might consider the social function of institutions like the Royal Academy. How did their exhibition programs serve the interests of their aristocratic patrons? And how did the market for religious paintings play a role in the dissemination of cultural values? Answering these questions can help us to see the value of art as a tool for understanding the history of cultural institutions.