Composition

The painting shows signs of alterations, and it appears that there were originally more figures in the two groups to left and right of centre.

Technique

It is painted very thinly, with thin washes over the background, and paint scrubbed on or rubbed off in some areas. Broad brushes were used to apply long strokes of thinned paint across the background. Slightly thicker paint was applied in dots, dashes and broken lines with a smaller brush to indicate the details of the costumes. The figures at left were painted after the background, which shows through, for instance, the blue dress of the standing woman.

Conservation History

In 1920 the Pennells stated that it had been cleaned by Thomas Robert Way (1861-1913), and that when they first saw it and had it photographed for the earlier edition of their book, it contained portraits of both Frederick Richards Leyland (1832-1892) and Whistler, which 'have completely disappeared.' 1 However, comparison of the painting as it is now with the earlier Pennell reproduction shows that the figures were featureless even then. 2 Nevertheless, as some paint faded or became more transparent, some features may have become more visible, and others, more ghostly. It has also darkened a little.

Frame

ca 1890s: Grau-style frame.