Provenance

• 1899: possibly sold to Charles Hessele (fl. 1892-1914) .

It was listed by Whistler as 'Lyme. The little yellow girl' among pictures sold to 'Hessel', who was probably the art dealer Charles Hessele. 1

On 8 July 1899 Whistler wrote to another art dealer, Edward Guthrie Kennedy (1849-1932)

'a man here ... has just now carried off seven paintings that you, for the last two years, had not perceived as sufficiently "grown" to be of service - but which properly framed and signed - as they now all are - go to make a mighty pretty little collection.' 2

The works recorded as sold to 'Hessel' or Hessele included Violet and Blue: The Red Feather [YMSM 503], St Ives, The Nets on the Hill [YMSM 270], Chelsea, Little Furniture Shop [YMSM 373], Green and Gold: A Shop in Calais [YMSM 474] and Blue Sea Piece, Dieppe [YMSM 525]. However, it is not absolutely certain that this sale went through, because several of these works have not been located.

Exhibitions

As far as is known, it was not exhibited in Whistler's lifetime.