Death on the Pale Horse, c. 1807

  • American
  • Benjamin West, American, 1738-1820

Engraving printed in black

  • image: 3 1/2 x 7 3/8 in. 8.8 x 18.7 cm sheet: 12 1/2 x 7 7/8 in. 31.7 x 20.0 cm

Founders Society Purchase, Miscellaneous Gifts Fund

F72.283.248

In letter press above the image: DEATH ON THE PALE HORSE; below the image: TWENTY-ONE FEET IN LENGTH, followed by a long description of the subject on the lower two-thirds of the sheet. The second paragaph of this descriptive text reads: This is acknowledged to be the greatest composition of that great master, Benjamin West \ital.!. The little outline above given, suggested to the author of the present painting the design of executing upon a great scale a picture on the same subject, aided by the pub- lished etching; which is all he has seen of West's work.

Von Erffa, Helmut and Allen Staley, THE PAINTINGS OF BENJAMIN WEST, New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1986, pp 391-2.

American; after Benjamin West, Death on the Pale Horse, c. 1807, Engraving printed in black. Detroit Institute of Arts, Founders Society Purchase, Miscellaneous Gifts Fund, F72.283.248.