Technique

Black was used to outline the figure, and smudged into the raised robe and the background above the sofa. The colours were blocked out with the round end of the pastel. Slight variations in flesh tones mark the planes of a robust body, accentuated with round highlights, using the end of the pastel in shades of pale ochre, beige, lemon and white. The rubbed-in off-white background and roughly sketched sofa define the space the figure stands in so solidly. The 'o' inscribed on the drawing may be a mark of appreciation added by Whistler or Beatrice Philip (Mrs E. W. Godwin, Mrs J. McN. Whistler) (1857-1896).

In signature, technique and paper it is similar to A nude with red hair [M.1384].

The sketch on the verso was drawn the other way up from the recto, on card which has a vertical grain. It is crude, and not necessarily by Whistler.

Conservation History

The paper is grey-brown with some large golden flecks of stalk and small fibres, but is slightly abraded at the top.