Provenance

• 1903: in Whistler's studio at his death in 1903 and bequeathed to his ward and executrix, Rosalind Birnie Philip (1873-1958) ;
• 1958: bequeathed by Miss Birnie Philip to the University of Glasgow.

Miss Birnie Philip was prepared to sell this painting, since she already had another portrait of Carmen Rossi. In 1908 the portrait was sent to Worcester Art Museum, MA, where the president, Rev. Daniel Merriman (1838-1912), decided to exhibit, but not to buy it. 1 It was with Colnaghi, London art dealers, from April 1917 to April 1921, but then returned to Miss Birnie Philip.

Exhibitions

• 1899: 2nd Exhibition, Pictures, Drawings, Prints and Sculptures, International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers, London, 1899 (cat. no. 133) as 'Violet and Rose – Carmen qui rit'.

Violet and Rose: Carmen qui rit [YMSM 506] was one of the two ovals that Whistler included in his arrangement for the 1899 ISSPG show. The other one was Rose and Gold: The Little Lady Sophie of Soho [YMSM 504]. They were received appreciatively by the art critic of The Nation as 'lovely harmonies of color.' 2