The family of the great painter Benjamin West belonged to a Society of Friends when West was a child, and according to his biography, in that environment his prodigious artistic talents were not viewed positively. The boy's future occupation was the subject of a public meeting of the Society, since it held
that things merely ornamental were not necessary to the well-being of man, and that all superfluous things should be excluded from the usages and manners of their society.
"The study of the fine arts" was therefore prohibited, and only after significant debate was Benjamin West permitted to develop his talent.
Now to my question: do any current branches of the Society of Friends (Quakers) still generally disapprove of the fine arts? I'm aware of the existence of the Conservative Friends, but it's not clear to me if they would discourage or prohibit the creation of merely "ornamental" images. Do all Friends now view the fine arts as a legitimate occupation, or do some groups still see it as something to be avoided?
Galt, John, The Life, Studies, and Works of Benjamin West, Part 1, Chapter 3