Reading the Will
David Wilkie·1820
Historical Context
Reading the Will at the Bavarian State Painting Collections, painted in 1820, depicts the dramatic moment when a deceased person's testament is revealed to assembled family members. This was one of Wilkie's most popular and widely reproduced compositions. Wilkie, knighted in 1836 and appointed Painter in Ordinary to the King in 1830, was the most celebrated Scottish painter of his generation and combined his Scottish genre roots with ambitious history painting.
Technical Analysis
The assembled figures' varied emotional responses to the will's contents create a complex narrative composition. Wilkie's careful characterization of each individual reaction demonstrates his exceptional observational skill.
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