Composition

Sketch for 'La Princesse du pays de la porcelaine', Worcester Art Museum, MA

La Princesse du pays de la porcelaine, Freer Gallery of Art

According to the Pennells, Whistler made 'a number of small studies and sketches in oil and pastel that show how he had perfected the idea beforehand' for La Princesse du pays de la porcelaine [YMSM 050]. 1

This study is close in composition to the final painting, but does not show the same model, who looks here more Oriental in feature. The model's hair is much less abundant than in La Princesse du pays de la porcelaine [YMSM 050] and is decorated with beads.

Most of the decorative details of La Princesse du pays de la porcelaine [YMSM 050] – the painting on the screen, the pattern on the rug and the flowers on her dress – are omitted in the study. On the other hand, there are flowers behind the screen in the upper left corner of the study that do not appear in the final painting.

Arrangement in Flesh Colour and Grey: The Chinese Screen, Private Collection

An unfinished painting, Arrangement in Flesh Colour and Grey: The Chinese Screen [YMSM 051], reproduced above, was once said to be related to La Princesse du pays de la porcelaine [YMSM 050], but appears to be a portrait of a woman in contemporary dress, with a screen behind her, in an interior. It bears only a superficial resemblance to La Princesse du pays de la porcelaine.

Technique

Sketch for 'La Princesse du pays de la porcelaine', Worcester Art Museum, MA

The Worcester Art Museum website comments:

'Worcester's painting is a preparatory study for a portrait of Christine Spartali, whose father served as Greek consul-general in London while Whistler was there. This fluidly brushed sketch blocks out the general arrangement and color scheme of the more detailed work.' 2

A comparatively broad brush was used to fill in large areas with quick, broad brushstrokes, occasionally nearly dry of paint. On the clothes, the brushstrokes sometimes follow the curves of the drapery and sometimes criss-cross each other. Some details were added with a much smaller, unusually heavily loaded brush that left a blob at the end of each stroke. The blossoms seem to have been added with a palette knife, creating curious wriggly, jagged shapes.

Conservation History

Unknown.