Figure Studies
Study for 'The Red Cross Knight'
John Singleton Copley
This dramatic 18th-century oil study by John Singleton Copley captures a heroic narrative with graceful lines and atmospheric depth.
The Cave of Despair
Benjamin West
1772 · Oil Paint, Canvas
A dramatic neoclassical scene of chivalry and moral struggle set within a somber cavern.
$129
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6 frame sizes
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Where it works
A substantial artwork with a strong pulse in a warmer tonal register — holds a formal wall with confidence.
- Often works in
- Library · Study · Living Room
- Placement
- Reads best above substantial furniture or an open wall
- Walls
- Benefits from light or mid-tone surroundings
- Color notes
- Charcoal black, Deep burgundy, Rich brown
About the piece
Painted in 1772, Benjamin West’s 'The Cave of Despair' illustrates a tense moment from Edmund Spenser’s 'The Faerie Queene.' The composition features the Redcrosse Knight being restrained from a desperate act, surrounded by the atmospheric gloom of Despair’s dwelling. The work is a prime example of the 18th-century interest in the sublime and literary allegory.
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