Henry Benbridge

Henry Benbridge was among the first generation of American artists to receive artistic training in Europe. Born to a wealthy family in Philadelphia, Benbridge was able to travel to Italy and London, where he exhibited his work at the Royal Academy. His travels put him in contact with other Americans abroad, such as Benjamin Franklin and the artist Benjamin West. These introductions created opportunities for Benbridge back in the United States, where he later became a fashionable portraitist.