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

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The Little Red Cap

Titles

Whistler's original title is not known. Only one title is recorded:

  • 'The Little Red Cap' (1973, Colnaghi). 1
  • 'The Little Red Cap' (1980, YMSM). 2

Description


                    The Little Red Cap, The Hunterian
The Little Red Cap, The Hunterian

A full-length standing figure of a young woman, in vertical format. She is wearing a transparent one-piece robe, which is gathered in at the neck and tied across and under her small breasts with ribbon, thus creating short sleeves. Much of the material is gathered to the back, falling like a cloak framing her legs, and in colour, white darkening to grey below her knees. Her head is lowered, and partly concealed by bushy brown hair cut in a deep fringe. She wears a pink cap or kerchief on her head. Her left arm is folded across her body, hand to chin, and her right arm hangs relaxed by her side. Her weight rests on her almost hidden left foot, while her right leg crosses in front of the left. Thus the body has a slight twist. The background is dark shadowy shades of brown.

Sitter

The model has not been identified.

Notes:

1: Young, A. McLaren, Glasgow University's Pictures, Colnaghi, London, 1973 (cat. no. 79).

2: YMSM 1980 [more] (cat. no. 401).

Last updated: 1st November 2020 by Margaret