Composition

This is a draft of the first page of the Address from the Society of British Artists to Queen Victoria (1819-1901). Six sheets from the draft are extant, numbered I-III, V, VII-VIII, but missing IV and VI. There are full illuminations only on the first page, which shows two lions supporting a shield or garland, with several decorative chequered areas. On the verso of p. 1 there is a draft of the letter 'Q' alone; otherwise the manuscript is written only on the recto of each sheet.

Technique

Neither the drawing nor writing are in Whistler's usual style, although this first page could be by his hand. The eight surviving sheets are each ruled, with wide margins, and it is possible that the Address was drafted and later copied and partly illuminated by a professional writer or by Edward Desiré Mitchell (1849-1913), a heraldic artist, employed by the College of Heralds in London, who was consulted by Whistler several times between May and July 1887. 1