This may have been as late as 1799 as Wolff’s Album contains a study for or after “Portrait of the artist with his Family”, painted c. 1799—1801.

Almost all record of Claude Martin's collection is lost. However, in the Calcutta Gazette 18 December 1800, appears the following advertisement: TO BE SOLD BY PUBLIC AUCTION:- BY TULLOH AND COMPANY. AT THEIR ROOM, On Thursday, the 8th January 1801. (By order of the Executors of the late Major-General Martin, Deceased). The sale of Claude Martins vast collection would last several years. From time to time the Calcutta Gazette contained descriptive reports from the sale highlighting “about 4,000 volumes of highly valuable books […] about 150 paintings in oil colours on different subjects: forty-seven oil paintings and sketches by Zoffany: a very extensive collection of fine prints, drawings, caricatures and Hindustani sketches”. Claude Martin’s etched bookplate is pasted inside the cover of Wolff’s Album, suggesting that it was included in the book collection or at least among the extensive collection of drawings.

Benjamin Wolff’s memoirs include several accounts of his stay in India 1817–1829. Although thoroughly described they offer only scarce information as to where, how and when he acquired drawings. He does however mention that the best and most important drawings were purchased at auction sales. In his summary of the entire collection, twenty portfolios in total, Wolff notes having brought back 1031 drawings from the East Indies – excluding the 342 drawings made by himself. Martin’s Book is not listed among these as Wolff may have regarded this collection as European and as such included it among the European drawings. According to the memoirs these were mounted, annotated and embossed with the collector’s monogram in 1861. The drawings are arranged randomly in the Album, taking no notice of the numbering (2–45) on several of the sheets. It is unclear when Wolff’s Album was created. The half leather binding suggests 1840s-1860s.

The drawings, in part with Zoffany’s handwritten comments, explores aspects of the artist’s fertile imagination, friendships and family, lifelong appreciation of music and a stricking sense of wit. Zoffany’s consequent use of black, white and coloured chalks on coloured paper corresponds with known chalk drawings and to some extent with the 180 drawings offered in the artist’s estate sale 1811 (Drawings in chalk, illustrative of the country and manners of India. By Mr. Zoffany, Cat. nos. 14–39). Besides the interesting Cat. no. 26 “Nine, Colonel Martin and other Portraits, etc.” the catalogue lists unfinished sketches and completed paintings that, at least in terms of subject, relate to some of the drawings i.e. Susannah and the Elders, Design of the Altar-piece of the Chapel at Brentford and Contemplation. Of noteworthy mention are, besides the two portraits of Martin, the personal drawings depicting himself and his family. In addition to the enigmatic self-portrait and the depiction of the artist surrounded by his family the album offers a painterly drawing portraying the artist’s second daughter Cecilia Clementina Eliza seated in an interior. A portrait of a young woman wearing a fashionable feathered hat also resembles Cecilia.

It was Johan Zoffany’s intention to return to India and in March 1798, he was granted permission by the East India Company to return to Bengal “to settle his private affairs and practice there as a Painter”. Increasingly poor health and a change in the current state of affairs in Lucknow would set an end to the opportunity of one last adventurous journey. And so, in the last drawing of the album, Zoffany has laid down his palette and brushes, lying in repose, he returns a final remark to his friend - fines.