Detail from The Canal, Amsterdam, 1889, James McNeill Whistler, The Hunterian, University of Glasgow

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M.1481
Skull and crossbones (b)

Artist: James McNeill Whistler
Date: 1896
Collection: Library of Congress, Washington, DC
Accession Number: E. R. and J. Pennell Collection
Medium: pencil, pen and black ink
Support: cream laid paper, embossed heading in blue, '4, WHITEHALL C0URT,/S.W.', watermark 'JOYNSON/FIRST QUALITY'
Size: 7 1/16 x 8 13/16" (180 x 224 mm)
Signature: butterfly
Inscription: none

Skull and crossbones (b)

Composition

Skull and crossbones (b), Library of Congress
Skull and crossbones (b), Library of Congress
Proofs of Skull and crossbones, Library of Congress
Proofs of Skull and crossbones, Library of Congress
Title page for 'A Book of Scoundrels' by Charles Whibley , Library of Congress
Title page for 'A Book of Scoundrels' by Charles Whibley , Library of Congress

Whistler designed the skull and crossbones motif for the title page of A Book of Scoundrels by Charles Whibley (1859-1930), published by William Heinemann (1863-1920) in London in 1896. It was used in pamphlets and press advertising Whibley's book. A press review of Whistler's book design reads: 'Much the same sort of triumph over difficulties is achieved by the title page vignette: a skull and cross-bones, with a cynically smiling mouth "shadow-grammed" over the teeth.' 1

Technique

Skull and crossbones (a), Library of Congress
Skull and crossbones (a), Library of Congress
Skull and crossbones (b), Library of Congress
Skull and crossbones (b), Library of Congress

Skull and crossbones [M.1480] is the first of two designs, and is unsigned; the second, Skull and crossbones [M.1481] is similar in design and paper, and signed with the butterfly.

Notes:

1: Advertisement and press-cutting in Pickford Waller's Presscutting Album, p. 79, Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Last updated: 23rd February 2021 by Margaret