Benjamin West and His Cat Grimalkin (Masterplots II: Juvenile and Young Adult Biography Series)
At a glance:
- Author: Marguerite Henry
- First Published: 1947
- Time of Work: 1747–1757
- Setting: Chester County, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Principal Characters: Benjamin West, Grimalkin, John West, Mrs. West, Chief Sassoonan, Uncle Phineas
- Genres: Nonfiction, Biography
- Subjects: Children, Art or artists, Cats, Eighteenth century, Painting or painters, Biography, Society of Friends or Quakers
- Locales: Philadelphia, PA, Chester County, PA
Form and Content
In Benjamin West and His Cat Grimalkin, author Marguerite Henry and illustrator Wesley Dennis describe a brief but important period of time in young West’s life. Twenty-two short, narrative chapters chronicle the development of events that lead to the discovery of West’s artistic talent and his decision to become an artist. In the book’s introduction, Henry sets the stage for the conflict felt by West’s parents between their son’s desire to draw and the firmly held Quaker belief that pictures are unnecessary. A number of persons are listed who...
[The entire page is 1415 words long]
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