Devout Men Taking the Body of Saint Stephen

Benjamin West (American, 1738–1820)

1776

Medium/TechniqueOil on canvas

DimensionsHeight x width (including semi-circle): 224 7/16 x 125 9/16 in. (570 x 319 cm)

Credit LineAnonymous gift in honor of Malcolm Rogers to celebrate his twenty years of extraordinary leadership as Director of the MFA, Boston

Accession number2015.2163

On View

On view

ClassificationsPaintings

Collections

Americas

Provenance1776, commissioned by Reverend Thomas Wilson (b. 1703 – d. 1784), Rector of the Church of St. Stephen Walbrook, London, and given to the church for installation over the altar on the east wall; by 1848, removed from the east wall and re-installed on the north wall of the church; 1987, removed from the church and placed into storage; November 29, 2001, consigned for sale by the wardens of St. Stephen Walbrook, Sotheby’s, London, lot 176, withdrawn; 2014, sold by the wardens of St. Stephen Walbrook, through Ben Elwes Fine Art, Ltd., London, to an anonymous American collection [see note]; 2015, anonymous gift to the MFA. (Accession Date: June 24, 2015)

NOTE:
On July 10, 2013, the Consistory Court of the Diocese of London granted the church of St. Stephen Walbrook faculty permission to dispose of the Benjamin West painting by sale. The Arts Council of England subsequently granted an export license for the work on March 19, 2014, at which time it was sold to a private American collection.