Titles

Alternative titles have been suggested:

• 'Study of a Girl's Head and Shoulders' (1905, ISSPG). 1
• 'Portrait of a Young Girl' (1933, Brewster collection catalogue, Chicago). 2
• 'Study of a Girl's Head and Shoulders' (1980, YMSM). 3
• 'Study of a Young Girl's Head and Shoulders (Baroness de Meyer)' (2015, AIC). 4

'Study of a Girl's Head and Shoulders' is the preferred title, since the identity of the sitter is not certain.

Description

A head and shoulders portrait of a young woman, in vertical format. Despite the title, she does not look like a girl. She is in three-quarters view to right, but looking directly at the viewer. She has thick brown hair cut in a fringe. She appears to be wearing a dark brown jacket over a dark blue scarf.

Sitter

It is possible that this is a portrait of Olga Alberta Caracciolo (1871–1930/1931), Baroness de Meyer, who lived in Dieppe between 1885 and 1897 and who owned this portrait by 1905. She had very long hair, which certainly is not suggested in this portrait, but could possibly have been rolled up at the back of her head.

An early portrait of her in a pink dress by Jacques Émile Blanche (1861-1942), painted in Dieppe (private collection), and White Lilies by James Jebusa Shannon (1862-1923), as well as photographs by her husband Adolf de Meyer, show that she had somewhat similar features to those seen in Whistler's sketch. 5

The Art Institute website comments:

'A well-known beauty, Olga Caracciolo lived in Dieppe, France, likely where this work was executed, and later married the photographer Adolf de Meyer. Rather than a swift, abbreviated study for a larger composition, Whistler considered a work such as this to be a satisfying aesthetic whole. Indeed, small paintings serve as invitations for an intimate viewing experience and contemplation of the artist’s harmonies of color and form.' 6

See also Arrangement in Pink, Red and Purple [YMSM 324], which was also at one time thought to show Olga Caracciolo.