Sketch of 'Whistler in his Studio' was drawn on a letter to William Heinemann (1863-1920) from Donald Mackenzie Wallace (1841-1919), editor of the Encyclopaedia Brittannica, dated 20 December 1902. 1 The drawing may reflect Whistler's interest in the sale and prices of his work, for possible inclusion in a biography in the Encyclopaedia Brittannica.

Sketch of 'Whistler in his Studio', Glasgow University Library

The drawing is catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1712).

Although this is the last dated drawing by Whistler, this does not mean that it was necessarily the last of his drawings. It is difficult to date many drawings of his last years. He was at work on figure, landscape and design projects. He was often ill, and less productive, and in this, the last year of his life, it is hardly surprising that, as this drawing shows, he should have been particularly interested in the presentation of his life and work.