Titles

Whistler's own title is not known. Only one title has been suggested:

• 'Little Lizzie Willis' (1973, Colnaghi). 1
• 'Little Lizzie Willis' (1980, YMSM). 2

Description

An unfinished half-length portrait of a young girl in three-quarter view to right, painted in vertical format. She stares at the viewer with big brown eyes; she has a pale face, and brown hair with a couple of curls falling over her forehead. Her clothes are barely indicated with a few brushstrokes. The background, thinly brushed in, is a dark shade of terracotta.

Sitter

Elizabeth Willis (fl. 1890/1900) . This is one of three portraits of Lizzie Willis. In this portrait she appears pale, plain and serious, unlike the beauty that appears in Little Juniper Bud - Lizzie Willis [YMSM 475] and the pretty Little Lizzie Willis [YMSM 476].

The 1901 UK census lists an Elizabeth M. Willis, the eight year old daughter Thomas J. Willis, frame maker, and Mary A. Willis. They had two daughters and three sons, and were then living in Hernshaw street, Southwark. However, the girl in the portrait seems a little older.