Benjamin West

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Benjamin West
1738-1820
Costume Studies. Verso: Landscape
Pen and brown ink on oatmeal paper; verso: black chalk.
4 13/16 x 7 inches (122 x 178 mm)
Purchased as the gift of Mrs. Robert H. Charles.
1970.11:210

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Notes: 

The three figures in the lower half of this drawing correspond to plates LXX, LXXVII, and LXXVIII of Joseph's Strutt's publication, "A Complete View of the Dress and Habits of the People of England," London, 1796-99. West probably had access to Strutt's manuscript in the King's Library.

Inscription: 

Inscribed variously with color notations in pen and brown ink, "Black / Black Gold / Gold White".

Provenance: 
Estate of the artist; by descent; Harry Margary, the great-grandson of Maria West (daughter of Raphael Lamar West, and granddaughter of Benjamin West); Thos. Agnew and Sons, Ltd., London; from whom purchased 60 drawings, 17 June 1964, and 197 drawings, 15 February 1965, by M. Knoedler and Co., Inc.; from whom purchased 257 drawings by the Morgan Library in 1970.
Associated names: 

Margary, Harry, former owner.
Charles, Robert H., Mrs., donor.

Bibliography: 

Kraemer, Ruth S. Drawings by Benjamin West and His Son, Raphael Lamar West. New York : Pierpont Morgan Library, 1975, no. 44, repr.

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