Titles

Whistler's original title is not known. The published titles that follow are not appropriate:

• 'Unfinished Study of a French Girl' (1936, Glasgow University). 1
• 'Unfinished Study of a French Girl' (1980, YMSM). 2

Since the question of whether a painting is finished or not does not usually form part of the title, the new and preferred title for this work is 'Study of a French Girl'.

Description

A half-length portrait in vertical format. It shows a girl with a long face, pouting; she has tousled short dark auburn hair, and faces the viewer. Her clothes are dark, trimmed at the neck with a fur collar, and she stands against a dark olive green background.

Sitter

A French model, not identified. Other studies of child models painted in Paris include The Daughter of the Concierge [YMSM 436], A Paris Model [YMSM 458], and Study of an Italian Boy [YMSM 514].