Le Débardeur dates from between 1849 and 1851, and was given to Whistler's schoolmate Edward Lawrence Hyde (1835-1917) at Christ Church Hall, Pomfret, CT.
Le Débardeur, photograph
It was partially catalogued, but not reproduced, in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 37). This entry has been revised.
Le Débardeur, Rhode Island School of Design
Le Débardeur, Rhode Island School of Design
A sketch inspired by the series Les Débardeurs by Paul Gavarni (1804-1866). See also 'Vive les Débardeurs!!' m0133. The term means a docker or longshoreman but it was the image of a woman in trousers that struck Whistler's imagination. She wears what may be a carnival mask.
A free, bold drawing, done with a medium sized pen, probably a quill pen. Apart from the rough and repeated outlines, there is some zigzag shading on the trousers. The mask has been heavily inked.
It is on smooth medium-weight wove rag paper. The paper is slightly browned and soiled.
Photostats of drawings owned by Edward L. Hyde were sent to Joseph Pennell (1860-1926) in 1924.
It was not exhibited in Whistler's lifetime.