L13040

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Lot 178
  • 178

Benjamin West, P.R.A.

Estimate
3,000 - 5,000 GBP
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Description

  • Benjamin West, P.R.A.
  • The Ascension
  • Pencil, on two sheets of joined laid paper, squared for transfer
  • 870 by 440 mm

Provenance

With the Bernard Black Gallery, New York, by 1968

Exhibited

New York, The Bernard Black Gallery, A Benjamin West Portfolio, May - June 1968, no. 6

Condition

The pencil has been well preserved. The sheet has multiple creases and folds and there is evidence of surface dirt and some paper discolouration. The work has not been laid down. For further information on this lot please contact Mark Griffith-Jones on 0207 293 5083 or mark.griffithjones@sothebys.com
"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."

Catalogue Note

The present drawing relates to West’s oil painting The Ascension, a work commissioned by George III in 1779, as part of the decoration of the Royal Chapel at Windsor Castle. Although West completed eighteen large canvases for the project, by 1801 it was clear that the commission was doomed to fail and the works were never installed. The oil painting The Ascension remained with the artist until his death and was included in his 1829 studio sale. It is now in the collection of the Bob Jones University, Greenville, South Carolina. A further oil sketch of the subject is now in the collection of Tate Britain, London.