Sleeping Cupid (oil on canvas)

acquired by 4th Earl of Bristol from Jacob More; This painting was acquired by John, 4th Earl of Bristol, ‘The Earl Bishop’, from Jacob More (1740-93). More was a Scottish artist, living in Rome from 1771, who acted as agent in securing works by the Old Masters. Like his other contemporary agents in Rome, James Byres and Thomas Jenkins, his eye (or his integrity), was not always reliable. Whilst on the look out for the genuine Raphael his patron was keen to acquire, and warning him of the many dubious ones available, he assured Lord Bristol of the authenticity of the present painting. In fact, this painting is an amalgam of two works by Reni, a ‘Virgin and Sleeping Christ Child’ in the Doria Pamphilj collection, and a ‘Sleeping Cupid’, now in a New York Private Collection.