Benjamin West 1738 - 1820

The backing with a paper letter attached, inscribed Saty, January... dodd (?)
The frame with printed label of Arnold Wiggins and Sons Limited London

Christie's London, Nov. 19, 1982, lot 69;
Salander-O-Reilly Galleries, New York;
Barridoff Galleries, Portland, Maine;
Christie's, Glasow, April 28, 1987, lot 549
Christie's, New York, The Collection of Mr and Mrs Eddy Nicholson, January 27 and 28, 1995, lot 801.

British Drawing, Anthony Reed, London, England, 1984, no. 7;
British Drawing, Davis & Langdale Company, Inc., New York, 1985, no. 59

"A Correct Caalog of the Works of Mr. West," Public Charaters of 1805, (London, 1805), p. 565;
"A Correct List of the Works of Mr. West," Universale Magazine, III (1805), p. 305;
"A Correct Catalogue of the Works of Benjamin West, Esq." La Belle Assemblee IV (1808), p. 17;
J. Galt, "A Correct Catalogue of the Works of Mr. West," The Life Studies , and Works by Benjamin West, Esq., President of the Royal Academy of London (London, 1820), p. 228;
J.Dillenberger, Benjamin West: The Context of His Life's Work (San Antonio, TX, 1977), p. 172, no. 328;
H. von Erffa and A Staley, The Paintings of Benjamin West (New Haven, CT. 1986), p. 374, no. 378, illus.

crazed; scattered in-paint Note change in attrition and Provenance and Literature
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

this painting was the subject for a stipple engraving, of similar size and identical composition that was executed by John Ogborne and published by T. Simpson and Darling & Thompson in 1797.  West executed several variations on this general theme, among them the Brooklyn Museum's painting of the same title; a gouache of The Three Marys at the Tomb at the Butler Institute of American Art; and an ink drawing of The Three Marys at the Sepulchre in the collection of the Pierpont Morgan Library.

This painting will be included in Allen Staley's forthcoming catalogue raisonne of the work of Benjamin West.