Composition

Two portraits of Alice Butt are closely related but it is not possible to tell if one is a study for the other.

Technique

According to Whistler, 'The little head, stolen ... [was] very much repainted - !!!' 1

It is painted on a grey base, the blouse is grey as in Alice Butt (1) [YMSM 437] and the rest of the picture is in a range of browns, lighter in tone than Alice Butt (1) [YMSM 437]. The background is painted with a broader brush than in Alice Butt (1) [YMSM 437] (18 mm, 3"), and with long, scrubby strokes. The painting throughout is freer and more fluid, and the model's expression is more sultry than in Alice Butt (1) [YMSM 437].

Conservation History

In his letter to Cowan of 2 July 1901, cited above, Whistler identified the sitter as Alice Butt, in the larger of the two portrait heads owned by Cowan (see Alice Butt (1) [YMSM 437] and Study of a Girl's Head [YMSM 487]). Cowan wrote on 5 July 1901 that he was 'not surprised to hear [this portrait] has been repainted' and mentioned that a 'duplicate of my one' was with Reid in November 1900 (see Alice Butt (1) [YMSM 437]). If there was indeed any over-painting it has apparently been removed.

Frame

Grau-style frame, made in America, dating from 1903; the photograph above shows it in 1904. 2 Size framed: 86.4 x 73 x 8.9 cm (34 x 28 3/4 x 3 1/2").