Lawrence finished his original portrait of West for the American Academy of Fine Arts after the subject's death in 1820, and the painting arrived in New York from London in 1822. Lawrence made a copy of it while it was still in his possession and it was from the copy, now owned by the National Gallery, London, that Godson made this watercolor. West is depicted in the long robe he wore in his studio and delivering a lecture on color theory, which he had presented at the Royal Academy.