Symphony in White, No. 2: The Little White Girl dates from 1864. 1

1863: In March Whistler moved to 7 Lindsey Row, which is the setting for Symphony in White, No. 2: The Little White Girl [YMSM 052].

Symphony in White, No. 2: The Little White Girl, photograph, 1892/1894

1864: The portrait was originally signed and dated '1864'. The photograph of Symphony in White, No. 2: The Little White Girl by Hanfstaengl, Munich, reproduced above, and reproductions in the Art Journal (1894 and 1900), Mir Iskusstva (1903), and by Muther (1894), show the date ‘1864’ after the signature. 2

On or before Derby Day (25 May 1864) Whistler told Charles Augustus Howell (1840?-1890), 'I have varnished the little White Girl.' 3

Symphony in White, No. 2: The Little White Girl, in original frame, Pennell 1911, f.p. 124

Symphony in White, No. 2: The Little White Girl, photograph, ca 1864, Mark Samuels Lasner Collection, University of Delaware Library, Museums and Press

1865: It was exhibited at the 97th Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1865 (cat. no. 530) as 'The Little White Girl'.

Symphony in White, No. 2: The Little White Girl, Tate Britain

1900: After incurring some minor damage, the painting was retouched by Whistler in Paris. 4 The date, originally painted at upper right, was removed at some time, possibly ̶ as suggested by the Pennells ̶ in 1900, when Whistler was working on the painting. 5