- 830
Studio of Benjamin West, P.R.A.
Estimate
6,000 - 8,000 GBP
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Description
- Benjamin West, P.R.A.
- The Death of General Wolfe
- oil on canvas
Provenance
Lt-Colonel John Ford Elkington (1866-1944);
By inheritance to his widow, Mrs Mary Elkington;
By whom sold, Newbury, Dreweatt, Watson & Barton, 31 July 1956, for £52;
With Williams & Sons, Mayfair, London;
By whom sold, London, Christie's, 8 March 1957, lot 39, for £35.14.0 to Beasley;
Gavin Henderson, from whom acquired by the present owner circa 1975.
By inheritance to his widow, Mrs Mary Elkington;
By whom sold, Newbury, Dreweatt, Watson & Barton, 31 July 1956, for £52;
With Williams & Sons, Mayfair, London;
By whom sold, London, Christie's, 8 March 1957, lot 39, for £35.14.0 to Beasley;
Gavin Henderson, from whom acquired by the present owner circa 1975.
Condition
The painting appears o be in good condition, with no apparent extant damage or loss of paint. There is a splattering of candle wax in the lower left corner, on the surface of the varnish, and some minor abrasions at the edge of the canvas, where it meets the frame. The is some visible old retouching in the sky, upper right, and examination under ultraviolet light reveals a small number of scattered minor flacks of restoration, and a slightly opaque varnish overall. The painting is held in a gilt plaster frame with some losses.
"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."
"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 death of Major-General James Wolfe (1727-1759) during the Battle of Quebec, in 1759, at the moment of his greatest victory, just as the British redcoats broke through the French lines after only fifteen minutes of fighting, is one of the great heroic episodes of the Seven Years War. West painted a number of variants of the composition, the prime versions of which are those in the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, and the Royal Collection, London.