In 1963, the Museum & Gallery acquired seven canvases from Benjamin West’s large series, The Progress of Revealed Religion. Originally, King George III of England had commissioned West to paint this series for the king’s proposed private chapel, St. George’s, at Windsor Castle. However, because of the king’s illness and eventual madness, the chapel was never renovated, the entire series was never completed, and the paintings were never hung at Windsor. After West’s death, the completed part of the series was separated. Out of the thirteen known, extant works in the world from West’s series, seven of the paintings reside in the War Memorial Chapel on the campus of Bob Jones University.

If you’re interested in seeing the Benjamin West collection while M&G is closed, consider bringing a tour group. Learn more here.

These works from the series are represented in M&G’s Collection and on view:

The Ascension

St. Peter Preaching at Pentecost

Isaiah’s Lips Anointed with Fire

Christ Coming Up Out of the Jordan

Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh

Esau and Jacob Presented to Isaac

The Brazen Serpent