In 1776, the Declaration of Independence announced the thirteen American colonies’ intention to break from the British Empire. The story of the resulting war is often told as a clash between “patriots” who supported independence and “loyalists” who wished to remain British. The reality was far more complicated, with the conflict dividing communities and testing friendships on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.
This tension is illustrated in this display, which taps into the YCBA’s rich collection to examine America’s battle for independence through the artists who documented the years leading up to and throughout the Revolutionary War. Loyalists and Sons of Liberty: America 250 features paintings, prints, drawings, and sculptures by both British- and American-born artists—including works by Benjamin West, John Singleton Copley, and Gilbert Stuart. Offering an alternative view of this complex moment in global history, their work portrays the many supporters of the American cause within Britain at the time of the Declaration’s signing. Other works were created to inspire loyalty and express a vision of the colonies’ future as part of the British Empire, in turn shaping the public image of the monarchy and the government.
Among the historical figures featured in the display are British monarchs such as George III and Queen Charlotte and military leaders like General Charles Cornwallis, in addition to lesser-known figures from British and American military and political life.
Loyalists and Sons of Liberty: America 250 is a featured display in the fourth-floor galleries and includes a complementary display in the YCBA Study Room.
Related Programs
2026 Summer Teacher Institute
Tuesday, July 7 – Thursday, July 9
Curator Tour
Thursday, July 2, 4-4:45 pm
Key Works
Benjamin West, John Eardley Wilmot, 1812, oil on canvas. Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
Benjamin West, The Death of Chatham, 1778, oil on canvas. Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Fund, in honor of Professor Jules David Prown
John Nost, George III, 1764, marble. Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
John Raphael Smith after Sir Joshua Reynolds, Colonel Tarleton, 1782, mezzotint. Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
John Singleton Copley, General Thomas Gage, ca. 1768, oil on canvas mounted on masonite. Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
Joseph Nollekens, Charles James Fox, 1792, marble. Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
William Woollett after Benjamin West, The Death of General Wolfe, 1776, etching and engraving. Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
Abraham Raimbach after John Singleton Copley, Key to the Figures in “The Death of Chatham,” 1793, etching and engraving. Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
Top image
Benjamin West, The Death of Chatham, 1778, oil on canvas. Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Fund, in honor of Professor Jules David Prown
Extended reading
