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

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M.1341
Cupid letting a bird out of a cage

Artist: James McNeill Whistler or Beatrice Whistler
Date: 1892
Collection: The Hunterian, University of Glasgow
Accession Number: GLAHA 46170
Medium: pencil
Support: pale beige laid paper
Size: 7 1/16 x 5 11/16-5 7/8 (180 x 144-150 mm)
Signature: none
Inscription: 'Recreations Postales' in hand of S. Mallarmé

Cupid letting a bird out of a cage

Composition

Cupid letting a bird out of a cage, The Hunterian
Cupid letting a bird out of a cage, The Hunterian

This is a design for the stamp on the cover, found in section IX of the manuscript for Recréations Postales in Glasgow University Library.

A cover designed by Mallarmé is in the form of an envelope, inscribed 'Récréations/Postales/de/ Stéphane Mallarmé‚/ JAMES R.OSGOOD/ LONDRES McILVAINE & Co/ Editeurs.' (175 x 214 mm, the flaps cut by hand irregularly. 1

Technique

It is possible that this is by Beatrice Philip (Mrs E. W. Godwin, Mrs J. McN. Whistler) (1857-1896). She drew a series of studies of cupids, one of which, posting a letter, appears to be a design for Récréations Postales. 2

Notes:

1: Glasgow University Library MS Whistler M203; website at http://special.lib.gla.ac.uk.

2: The Hunterian, GLAHA 46171, 46569

Last updated: 8th December 2020 by Margaret