Titles

One title has been suggested:

• 'Portrait of Miss Leyland (1)' (1980, YMSM). 1

The numbering is required to distinguish this painting, 'Portrait of Miss Leyland (1)', from Portrait of Miss Leyland (2) [YMSM 110].

Description

Way & Dennis wrote, 'At least three studies of Mr. Leyland's daughters were painted. One represents a young lady in a riding habit and silk hat standing against a dark panelled wall, on warm-coloured matting.' 2

This drawing, Study for 'Portrait of Miss Leyland' [M.0502], corresponds to Way and Dennis's description, and probably shows the proposed composition. Miss Leyland holds her riding crop nearly horizontally in front of her in her right hand, and with the same hand holds up the train of her dress. Although it is not signed, a rectangular field indicates the proposed position of the butterfly to left of the figure, on the wall.

Sitter

Fanny Leyland (1857-1880) was the eldest of the daughters of Frederick Richards Leyland (1832-1892). She was therefore referred to as 'Miss Leyland'. Her sisters, Frances Leyland (1834-1910), Florence Leyland (1859-1921) , and Elinor Leyland (1861-1952) , also posed to Whistler. Given their respective ages, the oil portrait under discussion here was most likely a portrait of Fanny Leyland. She appears seated in Fanny Leyland [135], which was printed in 1874.

The pen drawing of Miss Leyland (which is now in the British Museum) was wrongly titled 'Mrs. A. J. Cassatt' by the Pennells. 3 The Pennells mistakenly took it to represent Maria Lois Cassatt (1847-1920), and to be a study for Arrangement in Black, No. 8: Portrait of Mrs Cassatt [YMSM 250].