Artist: James McNeill Whistler Date: 1843 Collection: Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY Accession Number: 1970.121.10 Medium: pencil Support: off-white wove paper, in a Scrapbook bound in cardboard covered in green paper, with leather spine labelled in gilt 'S[CRAP]B[OOK]' and leather corners Size: 4 x 5 13/16" (102 x 148 mm) Scrapbook boards 275 x 196 mm, pages 268 x 198 mm Signature: 'James A. Whistler' Inscription: 'Flight of Xerxes. Stonington Feb 27th. 1843'
This drawing, showing mailed soldiers and archers, and several ships, may be a copy of an illustration. The story of the flight of King Xerxes after his defeat by the Greeks was told in the history of Herodotus.