Massachusetts, United Kingdom, Italy,1856-1925 John Singer Sargent This work is a study for Moloch, god of material possessions, from the Pagan Gods Mural that decorate the walls of the Boston Public Library. Sargent was approached for this commission by McKim, Mead, and White, the library's architects starting a project that lasted from 1895 to 1919. Sargent was recognized as the leading portraitist in England and the United States, known for his elegant depictions of high society and his controversial work, "Madame X." Provenance: Estate of the artist; Private Collection, London; Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; Graham Gallery, New York; Wildenstein & Co., New York; Sotheby's, New York, sale of American 19th and 20th Century Paintings, Drawings, and Sculpture, Saturday March 15th, 1986, sale no. 1157, lot no. 29. Charcoal on paper,Sight 18" x 24 1/4",Frame 41 1/2" x 30 1/4" Purchased from Sotheby's, New York, sale of American 19th and 20th Century Paintings, Drawings, and Sculpture, Saturday March 15th, 1986, sale no. 1157, lot no. 29. From the collection of an East Greenwich, Rhode Island lady.