Detail from The Canal, Amsterdam, 1889, James McNeill Whistler, The Hunterian, University of Glasgow

 

M.1103
Design for mouldings for Messrs Dowdeswell

Artist: James McNeill Whistler
Date: 1886
Collection: Rosenwald Collection, Library of Congress, Washington, DC
Accession Number: Rare Books and Manuscripts Division
Medium: pen, black ink, pencil and watercolour
Support: grey lined, cream wove paper
Size: 3 11/16 x 7 1/4" (94 x 184 mm)
Signature: none
Inscription: [p. 2] 'Top. / [p. 3] 'Top.'

Design for mouldings for Messrs Dowdeswell

Composition

Design for mouldings for Messrs Dowdeswell, Library of Congress
Design for mouldings for Messrs Dowdeswell, Library of Congress

This was a design for decorations for Whistler's one-man show, 'Notes' - 'Harmonies' - 'Nocturnes', Second Series, Messrs Dowdeswell, London, 1886, held in Messrs Dowdeswell's gallery at 133 New Bond Street. His accompanying letter reads:

'Here you are -

Raw umber - with a little yellow ochre and raw Sienna with white -

Keep it light like the left side of the Butterfly.' 1

Whistler designed an Arrangement in Brown and Gold decorative scheme for the gallery.

Notes:

1: Whistler to Messrs Dowdeswell, [10 April 1886], GUW #08713.

Last updated: 23rd February 2021 by Margaret