Final answer:
Benjamin West's "The Death of General Wolfe" represents a new type of history painting focused on contemporary events and depicted in modern attire. The painting infused a dramatic and near-deified portrayal of General Wolfe, challenging the norms of the time.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Benjamin West's The Death of General Wolfe, the art movement exemplified is the emergence of a new type of history painting. West deviated from the traditional subjects of history paintings, which were typically biblical or classical stories, and instead chose a contemporary event, namely the death of General Wolfe at the Battle of Quebec during the Seven Years' War. Notably, West also defied advice from contemporaries like Sir Joshua Reynolds by clothing his figures in modern, rather than classical, dress to adhere to a principle he believed in: that the truth guiding the historian's pen should also govern the artist's brush.
The portrayal of General Wolfe has a Christ-like aspect to it, drawing parallels between this military figure and religious iconography. West depicted Wolfe as a martyr for the British cause in North America, thus elevating him to a near-deified status. This choice reflects the influence of Italian art on West and signals a transformation in the way contemporary heroes were depicted in art. The painting's composition, with its theatrical elements and deliberate emotional appeal, helped to cement it as a blockbuster of its time.