Description
West was the first American artist to study in Italy, where he spent three years before permanently settling in London. He so admired the artistic ideals of the Italian Renaissance master Raphael that he named his eldest son after him, and he imitated Raphael’s celebrated Madonna of the Chair when composing this tender double portrait of his wife and child.
Provenance
The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio (1927-); Edward S. Harkness [1874-1940], New York, NY, to the Cleveland Museum of Art (1916-1927); Mary Warden Harkness [1864-1916], New York, NY, by bequest to her brother-in-law Edward S. Harkness (1916); Charles W. Harkness [1860-1916], New York, NY, by bequest to his wife Mary Warden Harkness1 (1911-1916); (M. Knoedler & Co., New York, NY, sold to Charles W. Harkness) (Until 1911); Henry J. Pfungst [1844-1917], Cleveland Square, London (?); Castle Smith, London (By 1909); Grandson of Benjamin West, Jr., to his widow (Probably 1848-); Benjamin West, Jr. [1772-1848], to his grandson (1820-by 1848); Benjamin West [1738-1820], London, to his son, Benjamin West, Jr. (c. 1770-1820)
Accession Number
1927.393
Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
Framed: 88 x 87.5 x 9 cm (34 5/8 x 34 7/16 x 3 9/16 in.); Unframed: 66.5 x 66.3 cm (26 3/16 x 26 1/8 in.)
Classification
Painting
Credit Line
The Charles W. Harkness Gift