Provenance

• 1887/1892: possibly given by Whistler to Isabella Stewart Gardner (1840-1924) , Boston;
• 1924: bequeathed to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum website suggests the following provenance:

'Possibly entered the collection of the lithographic printer Thomas Way (1837-1915) from James McNeill Whistler on 18 September 1879. Possibly returned to James McNeill Whistler by Thomas Way, about 1880-1881. Possibly entered Isabella Stewart Gardner's collection through James McNeill Whistler, 1886 or 1892.' 1

The involvement of Thomas Way (1837-1915) is not certain, because the drawing dates from later than the 1879 suggested.

It is much more likely that the drawing was given by Whistler to Mrs Gardner, possibly in 1892.

Exhibitions

There is no record of an exhibition in Whistler's lifetime.