Benjamin West and His Son Raphael Lamar West

Valentine Green after Benjamin West

National Gallery of Art

The artwork depicts the upper bodies of two people, positioned closely together. The main figure is a man seated prominently in the center, looking forward with a calm expression. His hair is styled in soft curls, framing his face. He is wearing a coat with a fur collar over a high-collared shirt and holding an open book with one hand and a small quill in the other. Resting their head on the man's shoulder is a young boy, whose face is partially visible, his expression pensive and his hair swept to the side. The child is wearing a collared shirt and gazes intently at the book. This scene is set within a circular frame, giving an impression of a window or a portal, with a subtly textured background.