Harmony in Yellow and Gold: The Gold Girl – Connie Gilchrist dates from between 1877 and 1879. 1

1876: According to the Pennells (writing in 1908), the portrait of Connie Gilchrist (1864-1946) was painted 'or at least begun' in 1876. 2

1877: Lily Langtry (1853-1929) saw the portrait in Whistler's studio and told Whistler, 'I have seen Connie Gilchrist but once, but I am sure it is hers. Nobody but you could have done it so beautifully.' 3

1879: It was seen and described in Whistler's White House studio in March 1879 by a New York Herald journalist. 4 It was also exhibited at the Grosvenor Gallery in 1879 (cat. no. 55) and was presumably considered finished by Whistler at that time.

1881/1884: However, he seems to have changed his mind, and later told the owner, Henry Du Pré Labouchere (1831-1912) that he wished to work on it further, although, according to the Pennells, he actually wanted to destroy it. 5

1884: Jacques Émile Blanche (1861-1942) said that he saw it in Whistler's Tite Street studio in 1884. 6 Unfortunately his dating is not entirely reliable.

Harmony in Yellow and Gold: The Gold Girl – Connie Gilchrist, Metropolitan Museum of Art

1890-1903: Labouchere said, after Whistler had kept it for ten years, 'He is still not sufficiently satisfied with it to return my picture, and I don't expect ever to see it again.' 7 It was still in Whistler's studio at the time of his death, in 1903, and was later returned to the owner.