William Blake, overpainted by another hand

Possibly Thomas Butts;
possibly Thomas Butts Jr.;
sale, Foster's, 29 June 1853, lot 142 (part of lot), unsold;
sale Foster's, 8 March 1854, lot 18 (part of lot), unsold;
Richard Monckton Milnes, later 1^st Lord Houghton (1809-1885), by 1862;
by descent to his son, Robert, 1^st Marquess of Crewe (1858-1945); by descent to Mary, Duchess of Roxburghe (1915-2014);
by descent to the present owner

London, Crystal Palace, International Exhibition, 1862, no. 221

Possibly W. M. Rossetti, 'Annotated Catalogue of Blake's Pictures and Drawings', 1863, p. 230, no. 183 and p. 231, no. 191;
Possibly W. M. Rossetti, 'Annotated Catalogue of Blake's Pictures and Drawings', 1863, p. 243, no. 208 and p. 244, no. 217;
An Inventory […] of Pictures at West Horsley Place, Surrey, The property of the Marquess of Crewe, 1938, p. 37;
D. Bindman, Blake as an Artist, 1977, p. 247, no. 30;

M. Butlin, The Paintings and Drawings of William Blake, Yale, 1981, p. 484, no. 671, pl. 893;
Manuscript Catalogue of Pictures at West Horsley, n.d., vol. 3, p. 73

 

The oil paint, which dates to the later 19th Century, is in good stable condition. There are slight abrasions to the edges of the canvas, connected with framing. The old vanish has discoloured but is consistent with age.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This fascinating work shows the Virgin Mary seated with the Infant Christ on her knee. To the left and right are St. Joseph and St Anne, who themselves are flanked by angels. In the foreground a young St John the Baptist plays with the lamb. Although heavily over-painted after Blake's death, possibly in the 1850s, underneath the oil surface there exists a tempera by William Blake. It is likely that this tempera formed part of the cycle of work that Blake executed for his great patron Thomas Butts between 1799 and 1810. A watercolour of the same subject, but with compositional differences is in the Cleveland Museum of Art, U.S.A.. The work had been acquired by the 1^st Lord Houghton by 1862.