Mrs. Benjamin West and Her Son Raphael

Mrs. Benjamin West and Her Son Raphael

about 1767
Artist
Benjamin West, American, 1738-1820
Work Locations: Italy, England
Object
painting
Medium
Oil paint on canvas
Accession Number
2018.14
Credit Line
Gift of the Berger Collection Educational Trust

Benjamin West, Mrs. Benjamin West and Her Son Raphael, About 1767. Oil paint on canvas; 29 1/4 × 25 in. (74.3 × 63.5 cm). Gift of the Berger Collection Educational Trust, 2018.14

Dimensions
image height: 29 1/4 in, 74.295 cm; image width: 25 in, 63.5000 cm; frame height: 39 in, 99.0600 cm; frame width: 35 in, 88.9000 cm; frame depth: 3 1/8 in, 7.9375 cm
Department
European and American Art Before 1900
Collection
European Painting and Sculpture before 1900

Benjamin West spent most of his career in England. He served as painter to King George III, creating large-scale pictures of historical and religious subjects. He also painted numerous portraits of his family, such as this image of his wife and eldest son. In designing the picture, West looked to a painting by the Renaissance master Raphael, for whom his son was named. West had seen Raphael's painting Madonna and Child with the Young Saint John while traveling through Italy before settling in England. 

Known Provenance
Private collection, USA; Christie’s, New York, December 4, 1996, lot 7; from which acquired by William M. B. Berger and Bernadette Johnson Berger, Denver; Berger Collection Educational Trust; gifted to the Denver Art Museum, 2018. Provenance research is on-going at the Denver Art Museum and we will post information as it becomes available. Please e-mail provenance@denverartmuseum.org, if you have questions, or if you have additional information to share with us.

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