Titles

Possible titles include:

• 'O'K' (1894, E. G. Kennedy). 1
• 'Portrait Study' (1895, National Academy of Design, New York). 2
• 'Portrait of Man' (1904, Copley Society, Boston). 3
• 'Portrait of E. G. Kennedy, Esq.' (1905, ISSPG). 4
• Portrait of E. G. Kennedy (2) (1980, YMSM). 5

It is numbered 'Portrait of E. G. Kennedy (2)' because it was painted immediately after Portrait of E. G. Kennedy (1) [YMSM 403].

Description

A small full-length portrait in vertical format, showing a man in a black jacket and waistcoat, a black cravat and high white collar, and grey trousers. He has thin dark hair and a moustache. He holds a hat in his right hand, and stands with his left foot forward, his left arm slightly bent, wearing a brown glove on his left hand, and holding a glove. A dark overcoat or cloak hangs from his shoulders, the revere sticking out slightly to left of his arm. The butterfly signature is at right, just below centre, and is now almost invisible.

Sitter

Edward Guthrie Kennedy (1849-1932) . Kennedy thought it 'a "poor" portrait' and did not wish it to be exhibited in his lifetime. 6 H. S. Morris wrote that the portrait was 'very dark. We knew it as the black cat in a dark cellar, and often joked with Kennedy over it. But it was, after all, something to be painted by Whistler and to remain his friend, and Kennedy's handsome figure deserved the compliment.' 7

Two portraits of Kennedy dating from the 1890s are in the Metropolitan Museum of Art: an oil by William Merritt Chase (1849-1916) (1973.342) and a drawing by Giovanni Boldini (1845-1931) (33.40.62).