Technique

The artist William Graham (1841-1910) prepared a 'big canvass nicely scrubbed over with a brownish grey tint' of about 134 x 79 cm, and a table palette, for Whistler, who brought his own brushes: 'First, he chose from his handful of brushes, one of the largest (they were all large) and holding it up said: "This is Sally" and began scrubbing away, beginning at the upper left hand corner with a long sweeping wavey motion.' 1 At Whistler's request, Graham suggested various alterations to the modelling of the head. Whistler used his full range of brushes, called, according to Graham, Charlotte, Jane, Luisa, Josephine, Sophia and Susan. 2

Conservation History

Unknown.

Frame

Unknown.