Richard Houlditch, junior, London (d. 1760), L.2214 (lower right); possibly his estate sale, Langford (London), 12-14 February 1760, 1st night, lot 51 ("Two landscapes by Swanevelt"), 2nd night, lot 42 ("Three by Borgognone and Swanevelt", bought by Duke of Marlborough), lot 65 ("Two by Swanevelt", bought by Willet), or 3rd night, lot 66 ("Two by Swanevelt, landscapes", bought by Duke of Marlborough); William Esdaile, London (1758-1837), L.2617 (lower left), 1813; Edward Foster & Son (London), 6 February 1935, lot 55 (along with D.1952.RW.2706 and 2707); purchased there by Sir Robert Witt, London (1872-1952), L.2228b (mount, lower left); Witt Bequest 1952

Watermark: Watermark: unable to check due to mount.

Inscription: Mount (historic), Recto: lower centre, brown ink: "Swanevelt."; lower left corner, brown ink: "150 x 2"; lower left edge, graphite: "P.G5"; lower centre edge, brown ink: "Orpheus kill'd by the Thracian women.". Mount (historic), Verso: centre, brown ink: "Carmine dum tali Silvas Animosque ferarum, / Threicius vates et saxa sequentia ducit, / Ecce nurus Ciconum tectae lymphata ferinis / Pectora velleribus, tumuli de Vertice cernunt / Orphea percussis Sociantem carmina nervis. / E quibus una levem iactato crine per auram,/ En, ait, en hic est nostri contemtor: et hastam / Vatis Apollinei vocalia misit in ora. DJC. / Neu desint tela furori, / Forte boves presso subigebant vomere terram: / Nec procul hinc multo fructum sudore parantes / Dura lacertosi fodiebant arva coloni: / Agmine qui viso fugiunt operisque relinquunt / Arma sui: vacuosque iacent dispersa per agros / Sarculaque, rastrique graves longique ligones. / Quae postquam rapuere ferae, cornuque minari / Divulsere boves, ad vatis fata recurrunt: / Tendentemque manus atque illo tempore primum / Irrita dicentem, nec quicquam voce moventem / Sacrilegae perimunt. Perque os (prop Jupiter) illud / Auditum saxis, intellectumque ferarum. / Sensibus, in ventos anima exhalata recessit. / Ovidii Metam. Lib 11th. / 1745. //"; lower left corner, brown ink, Esdaile's hand: "1813 WE P 99 N 150 x"; lower right corner, graphite: "1572 / 7 //".

Collector's mark: Recto: lower left corner, pen and brown ink: William Esdaile (L.2617); lower centre edge, stamped in black ink: Richard Houlditch junior (L.2214). Mount (historic), Recto: lower left, stamped in black ink: Sir Robert Witt (L.2228b).