Provenance

• 1903: in Whistler's studio at his death and bequeathed to his sister-in-law, Rosalind Birnie Philip (1873-1958);
• 1935: given by Miss Birnie Philip to the University of Glasgow.

Exhibitions

• 1892: possibly Société des Pastellistes français, Goupil, Paris, 1892 (ex. cat.).

Cecil Nicholson described Whistler's pastels in this exhibition as 'two symphonies in pink and blue, entitled "odalisques couchées." ' 1 Le Chat noir on 15 April 1892 noted 'Le papillon ... estampille le sofa où s'alangent un femme opposant sa blondeur à un harmonie bleu et bleu ou rose et rouges: des contours à la mine de plomb.' It is this comment (to the butterfly on the sofa, and the colours pink and red) that suggests The Arabian was exhibited.

By the terms of Miss Birnie Philip's Gift, this work cannot be lent to another venue.