The Treaty of Paris, 1783

This painting is titled The Treaty of Paris, 1783 by Benjamin West.   From left to right John Jay, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Henry Laurens, and William Temple Franklin, the grandson of Benjamin Franklin are shown.

Why is the painting unfinished?


ElementaryHistoryTeacher over at History Is Elementary provides a wonderful explanation regarding the painting and shares how she would use it in the classroom in her post, An Ending or a Preview.

When the Painter Overshadows the Painting

The title of this painting is The Expansionist (The Well Traveled Man) by Frank D. Millet (1899).  The painting is part of the collection at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia.  This painting was in several exhibitions, before ending up in Atlanta, but the most poignant was a memorial exhibition in 1912 after the Titanic disaster.

Try as I might I could not locate any details regarding this painting other than details regard Millet’s life….which were quite interesting all by themselves. 

Millet is often referred to as a Renaissance man because he had so many interests and talents.   He was a host to the Boston Colony of artists who gathered outside of London. 

His resume included illustrator, writer, war correspondent, he translated Tolstoy and was friends with Mark Twain and John Singer Sargent.

Tragically Millet died in the Titantic disaster at the age of 66
.

There’s a fountain near the White House on the Ellipse in Washington D.C. dedicated to Millet and Archibald W. Butt.  Both men died in the Titanic disaster.