Anglo-American Art Trade Thrived During Revolution, New Research Shows

Recent economic studies indicate that the art trade between Britain and America thrived during the 18th century, even during the American Revolution. Contrary to previous beliefs, American per capita income surpassed that of Britain until the onset of the Revolutionary War (1775-83). In the 1760s and 70s, art exports from London reached New York, Pennsylvania, and New England. Although the war resulted in a 20% decline in U.S. income per capita and a temporary contraction of the art market from 1775 to 1779, it rebounded in New York by 1780. Artists like John Trumbull, who was imprisoned in London that year, navigated the complex political landscape, while others like Johan Zoffany relocated to India. Benjamin West, a Pennsylvania native, became the royal painter and second president of the Royal Academy, receiving an annual stipend of £1,000 from George III. Copley's 1783 painting "Siege of Gibraltar" attracted 60,000 visitors, generating £3,000 in ticket sales. Presently, Art UK catalogs 377 works by West and 112 by Copley in public collections across the UK, alongside the establishment of museums and art academies in the U.S.