Titles

Two titles have been suggested:

• 'Lyme Regis' (1901, Whistler). 1
• 'The Little Nurse' (1904, Royal Scottish Academy). 2
• 'The Little Nurse' (1980, YMSM). 3
• 'The Little Nurse: Lyme Regis' (2020, WPP).

'The Little Nurse' was not Whistler's title: it would have been very unusual for a work to be exhibited by Whistler with a subjective title, and no mention of colour, but it is possible that he did refer to it by this title.

It was painted at Lyme Regis in Dorset, where Whistler stayed in September and November 1895. He went originally with his wife, Beatrice Philip (Mrs E. W. Godwin, Mrs J. McN. Whistler) (1857-1896), in the vain hope that the sea air would improve her health. She had cancer, and there being no improvement, she returned to London to be nursed by her sisters. Whistler stayed on to work, hoping to raise money to pay for doctors and drugs. Thus the subject of The Little Nurse, may have had added poignancy for him at this time.

However, it is suggested here that 'The Little Nurse: Lyme Regis' is a preferable title, as combining Whistler's original title with the later title.

Description

A shop front in horizontal format. It is almost symmetrical, with curtained windows, each with 3 x 4 panes of glass, on each side of a dark doorway. Glimpses of a picture on the wall, and possibly a window, are seen through the door. At left, on the pavement, stand two girls, one in cream, and the other in grey, with a white pinafore, holding a baby dressed in white.

Site

The town of Lyme Regis in Dorset. It was a popular small holiday resort as well as a busy fishing port. Whistler drew and painted several similar subjects there including, for instance, Rose and Red: The Barber's Shop, Lyme Regis [YMSM 444], and the lithographs, The Little Doorway, Lyme Regis c119, and The Little Steps, Lyme Regis c131.