Classical Scene 

Benjamin West made this drawing titled 'Classical Scene' using pen and ink. In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, artworks like this served an important public role by illustrating stories from classical literature for a wide audience. West was a leading figure in the Royal Academy, an institution which played a key role in shaping artistic taste at that time. The scene we see here is infused with the visual codes of classical art – the idealized bodies, the flowing drapery, the dramatic gestures. West lived through a time of revolution. You can see in this sketch that he uses images of ancient Greece and Rome to ask questions about power, justice, and the responsibilities of leaders. Historians sift through letters, diaries, and political pamphlets to build a nuanced picture of the past. By doing so, we can better understand the social conditions that shape artistic production.