Benjamin West, P.R.A. (Pennsylvania 1738-1820 London)
Lot 398

Benjamin West, P.R.A. (Pennsylvania 1738-1820 London)

Hector bidding farewell to Andromache and Astyanax

Closed2 December 2008

Price Realised

GBP 3,000

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Benjamin West, P.R.A. (Pennsylvania 1738-1820 London)
Hector bidding farewell to Andromache and Astyanax
pencil, pen and brown ink, watercolour, watermark Britannia
9¾ x 7¾ in. (248 x 198 mm.)

The artist's family, and by descent to
Mrs P. Howard; Sotheby's, London, 22 March 1979, lot 12.

Specialist note

The present watercolour shows a scene from the Iliad Book 6, 440-70. West painted at least four versions of this subject and executed a drawing, now in the Getty Museum (von Erffa and Staley, op.cit., no. 165). The present study, however, has a greater range of colour and provides a more intimate interpretation of the leave taking.