GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Executed by Benjamin West and probably several of his students shortly before his death, this painting is a late example of a religious theme that the artist had begun exploring in 1790. The composition likely relates to Matthew 18:1-4 in the Christian New Testament: "At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." A large-scale treatment of the subject by West still hangs in the Thomas Coram Foundation for Children foundling hospital in London, and its popularity doubtless created demand among private collectors for smaller examples such as this one.
Excerpt from
William Keyse Rudolph, DMA label copy, 2006
NOTES
c. 1810-1820 (why search dates 1785-1820?)
Object File Reviewed
Alternate Title: Suffer Little Children to Come unto Me
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-19-14/ here is the bible verse the alternate title is from
photocopy from The Paintings of Benjamin West p. 342 says "A copy of the picture was sold by West's heirs in June 1829; this may be the unfinished version of the composition, now in a private collection, which does not appear to be entirely in West's hand." pencil mark asterisk and note "DMA' written by it another copy of the same page has a ? next to it
by Helmut von Erffa and Allen Stanley, Yale University Press, New Haven & London 1986
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Cultures
Geography
Process/materials
Historical periods
Individuals
Subject terms
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
n.d.: Mortimer Brandt Gallery, New York [1]
n.d.: Countess of Egmont, possibly acquired from the above [1]
From 1988: Dallas Museum of Art, gift of the Bernice West Beyers Trust
The primary source for this provenance is documentation from the Collections Records Object File.
[1] The relationship between this line of ownership and the previous and subsequent owners is unclear.
AUDIO ASSETS
VIDEO ASSETS
IMAGE ASSETS
WEB RESOURCES
- National Gallery of Art~Read more about Benjamin West from the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC.
- Tate, London~View more works by Benjamin West at the Tate, London.
ARCHIVAL RESOURCES
FUN FACTS
TEACHING IDEAS
RULES
Apply to objects where number equals 1988.138
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General Description
Executed by Benjamin West and probably several of his students shortly before his death, this painting is a late example of a religious theme that the artist had begun exploring in 1790. The composition likely relates to Matthew 18:1-4 in the Christian New Testament: "At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." A large-scale treatment of the subject by West still hangs in the Thomas Coram Foundation for Children foundling hospital in London, and its popularity doubtless created demand among private collectors for smaller examples such as this one.
Excerpt from
William Keyse Rudolph, DMA label copy, 2006
Fun Facts
Archival Resources
Web Resources
- National Gallery of Art~Read more about Benjamin West from the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC.
- Tate, London~View more works by Benjamin West at the Tate, London.
Notes
c. 1810-1820 (why search dates 1785-1820?)
Object File Reviewed
Alternate Title: Suffer Little Children to Come unto Me
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-19-14/ here is the bible verse the alternate title is from
photocopy from The Paintings of Benjamin West p. 342 says "A copy of the picture was sold by West's heirs in June 1829; this may be the unfinished version of the composition, now in a private collection, which does not appear to be entirely in West's hand." pencil mark asterisk and note "DMA' written by it another copy of the same page has a ? next to it
by Helmut von Erffa and Allen Stanley, Yale University Press, New Haven & London 1986
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Cultures
Geography
Process/materials
Historical periods
Individuals
Subject terms
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
n.d.: Mortimer Brandt Gallery, New York [1]
n.d.: Countess of Egmont, possibly acquired from the above [1]
From 1988: Dallas Museum of Art, gift of the Bernice West Beyers Trust
The primary source for this provenance is documentation from the Collections Records Object File.
[1] The relationship between this line of ownership and the previous and subsequent owners is unclear.
AUDIO ASSETS
VIDEO ASSETS
rules
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Objects
number
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1988.138
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object_notes_3_a-0193.xml.nores