Detail from The Canal, Amsterdam, 1889, James McNeill Whistler, The Hunterian, University of Glasgow

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YMSM 534
Portrait of Ronald Murray Philip

Artist: James McNeill Whistler
Date: 1899-1900
Collection: Whereabouts Unknown
Accession Number: none
Medium: oil
Support: unknown
Size: unknown
Signature: unknown
Inscription: unknown
Frame: unknown

Portrait of Ronald Murray Philip

Titles

Only one title has been suggested:

  • 'Portrait of Ronald Murray Philip' (1980, YMSM). 1

Description

Whistler described it as the head of Ronald Murray Philip. 2

Sitter

The Birnie Philips including, second from right, Ronald M. Philip, photograph, 1895/1909, GUL Whistler PH1/165
The Birnie Philips including, second from right, Ronald M. Philip, photograph, 1895/1909, GUL Whistler PH1/165

Ronald Murray Philip (1871-1940) . The son of the sculptor John Birnie Philip and Frances Black, Ronald was born on 26 October 1871 and died on 5 February 1940. Beatrice, his elder sister, was Whistler’s wife.

Ronald Philip sitting in an armchair, The Hunterian
Ronald Philip sitting in an armchair, The Hunterian

In 1900 he accompanied Whistler on holiday to Algiers and Corsica, and, as Whistler wrote, 'Ronnie is delightful - As I told you, I knew he would be - just the companion for my own charming, though perhaps perilously depressed self!' 3

Notes:

1: YMSM 1980 [more] (cat. no. 534).

2: Whistler to R. Birnie Philip, [11] and 12 December 1899, GUW #04765 and #04763.

3: Whistler to R. Birnie Philip, [11 January 1901], GUW #04784.

Last updated: 1st November 2019 by Margaret