Benjamin West, P.R.A.

Offered by West's sons to the United States in 1826 (no. 127; Musidora) but sold by them at London, Robins, 20-22 June 1829, lot 66 ("Damo and Musidora, from Thompson's 'Seasons'...considered one of the finest specimens of the Master, colouring in the gusto of the Venetian School");
Where probably acquired by James Morrison (1789-1857), Balham Hill and later Basildon Park;
Thence by descent to Captain Archibald Morrison, Basildon Park, Berkshire, until 1914;
Sale, London, Christie's, 21 November 1975, lot 79 (as Nymphs Surprised by a Young Man);
There purchased by J. Weitzner, London;
With M. Knoedler and Co., New York;
From whom acquired in 1980 by a private collector;
By whom sold ("Property from a Midwestern Estate"), New York, Sotheby's, 28 January 1999, lot 295;
There acquired by the present owner. 

Possibly London, Royal Academy, 1795, no. 175+ (Nymphs Bathing);
London, Grosvenor Gallery, Third National Loan Exhibition from the Basildon Park and Fonthill Collections, 1914-15, no. 53 (Nymphs Surprised while Bathing);
Greenwich, CT, The Bruce Museum, The Great American Nude, 15 June - 8 September 2002.

"A Correct Catalogue of the Works of Mr. West," Public Characters of 1805, p. 565 (The small picture from Thompson's Seasons of Miranda and her Two Companions);
"A Correct List of the Works of Mr. West", in Universal Magazine, III, 1805, p. 530;
"A Correct Catalogue of the Works of Benjamin West, Esq.," in La Belle Assemblée or Bell's Court and Fashionable Magazine, IV, 1808, supplement, p. 17;
J. Galt, The Life, Studies, and Works of Benjamin West, Esq...., 1820, Appendix II, p. 227;
J. Dillenberger, Benjamin West: The Context of his Life's Work, San Antonio 1977, p. 170, cat. no. 315;
H. van Effra and A. Staley, The Paintings of Benjamin West, New Haven 1986, p. 285, cat. no. 231.

The following condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. This oil on canvas has been lined using wax as an adhesive. This kind of lining is not appropriate and should be reversed. The cleaning seems to have been slightly uneven. One can see a combination of broken glazes, particularly on the left side. The light colors in the figures also seem to be quite bright and lacking in patina, but this is not a work with challenging condition issues by any means. A reexamination of the lining and a more careful cleaning and understanding of the artist's technique should make significant improvements.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

West's painting illustrates a passage from James Thompson's The Seasons ("Summer", lines 1289-1370) published between 1726 and 1730 (all editions after 1740 eliminate Musidora's companions). West often retouched his paintings after their completion and, as here, he always noted this beneath his initial signature and date.