Jonathan Richardson, the elder, London (1667-1745), L.2184 (lower right) and L.2983 (primary mount, verso, upper centre); possibly his estate sale, Christopher Cock (London), 22 January - 8 February 1747, any one of seven lots in which Testa drawings sold; Sir Joshua Reynolds, London (1723-1792), L.2364 (lower left); possibly his estate sale, Harry Phillips (London), 5 - 22 March 1798, any one of five lots listing Testa; John Barnard, London (1709-1784), L.1419 (primary mount, lower right) and L.1420 (secondary mount, verso, upper right); Richard Cosway, London (1740-1821), L.629 (lower right); Jacques Arnal; his sale, Sotheby's (London), 24 February 1925, lot 127; purchased there by Sir Robert Witt, London (1872-1952), L.2228b (secondary mount, lower left); Witt Bequest 1952

Watermark: Watermark: unable to check drawing due to double mounts. Mount (secondary), Verso: right centre (just visible in raking light): looks like a monogram “P” with small “L” (variant of Heawood 3021 – Graz 1792).

Inscription: Mount (Richardson's), Recto: lower left, dark brown ink: "o". Mount (Richardson’s), Verso (hidden under secondary mount, visible via transmitted light): upper centre, brown ink, Richardson’s shelfmarks (L.2983): “R.32 / 1 / Zc 3. / Zn. 5 / P.6. / J”. Mount (secondary), Recto: upper right, red ink: "No 12"; right lower margin, graphite, with a line pointing to the relevant collector's mark: "Cosway"; right lower margin, dark brown ink: “+ John Barnard”; lower right, red ink for copies of the collector's mark, dark brown for the rest:, “R [a copy of L.2184] Richardson stamp / R [a copy of L.2184] single; Richardson stamp / [word in graphite now too faded to read]”; lower left, red ink for copy of the collector's mark, dark brown for the rest: copy of L.2364 / “o Sir J Reynolds's stamp”; lower centre edge, red and light brown inks: “Pietro Testa. 1611-1650.”; Mount (secondary), Verso: lower centre, graphite: “From the Collections of Richard Cosway, John Barnard, / Sir Joshua Reynolds + Jonathan Richardson (the Father) / (their stamps) / Pietro Testa / B.1611D.1650 //”; lower left, graphite: “n/s”.

Collector's mark: Recto: lower left corner, stamped in black ink: Sir Joshua Reynolds (L.2364); lower right, stamped in black ink: Jonathan Richardson, the elder (L.2184); right lower edge and partly on primary mount, stamped in black ink: Richard Cosway (L.629). Mount (Richardson’s), Recto: lower right, pen brown ink, with a “+” added in front of it: John Barnard (L.1419). Mount (Richardson’s), Verso (hidden under secondary mount, visible via transmitted light): Jonathan Richardson, the elder (L.2983). Mount (secondary), Recto: lower left corner, stamped in black ink: Sir Robert Witt (L.2228b). Mount (secondary), Verso: upper right, pen and brown ink: John Barnard (L.1420), accompanied by inscription “No: 753. / 7 1/2 by 7 ¼”.