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Titles
Only one title is known:
- 'La Mère Gérard' (1861, Royal Academy of Arts, London). 1
- 'La Mère Gérard' (1905, ISSPG). 2
- 'La Mère Gérard (1)' (1980, YMSM). 3
Because there are two portraits of this sitter it was necessary to give them consecutive numbers, this being 'La Mère Gérard (1)' and the other La Mère Gérard (2) [YMSM 027].
Description
La Mère Gérard (1), Colby College Museum of Art
A half-length portrait in vertical format, showing an elderly woman, seated facing the viewer. She wears a black jacket or shawl over a dark grey skirt. Her white muslin bonnet has a ruched trim, and is tied under her chin. Her left hand, resting on her lap, holds a yellow pansy. The background is a warm black.
Sitter
Mère Gérard (fl. 1810-1860).
La Mère Gérard (2), Washington County Museum of Fine Arts
Whistler made several other portraits of her: an oil, La Mère Gérard (2) [YMSM 027], and two etchings, La Mère Gérard [24]. and La Mère Gérard, Stooping [25].
Other studies of elderly women by Whistler include drawings such as Standing figure of an old woman [M.0275], etchings including La Rétameuse [26], La Vieille aux Loques [27] and a second portrait of the same sitter, La Mère Gérard (2) [YMSM 027].
Last updated: 18th April 2021 by Margaret
