The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

Miss May Traer dates from between 1859 and 1860, and was given to the sitter's father James Reeves Traer (1833-1867) and family.

Miss May Traer, private collection

It is fully catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 297).

Images

Subject

Sitter

Miss May Traer, private collection

Louisa Marion ('May') Traer (Mrs L. J. M. Bebb) (1858-1839), the child of James Reeves Traer (1833-1867) and his wife, Louisa Jane Holloway Savage (1838-1896). They had married on 28 November 1856. She was born probably on 21 December 1858 though some sources (such as the 1861 census) suggest a date of 1859.

Louisa Marion Traer married Rev. Llewellyn John Montfort Bebb (1862-1915) on 5 December 1886. They had several children: Alfred Llewellyn Montfort Bebb (1887-1946), Beatrice Marion Bebb (b. 1888), Gwyneth Marjory Bebb (1889-1921), Basil John Montfort Bebb (1892-1952), Humphrey Ingram John Montford-Bebb (1893-1952), Catharine Mary Bebb (1898-1966) and and Francis George Montfort Bebb (1901-1966). She died on 8 October 1939.

Technique

Technique

Miss May Traer, private collection

See discussion in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 297).

History

Provenance

• 1858/1859: given to the sitter's father James Reeves Traer (1833-1867) or his family;
• After 1905: passed by family descent to the sitter, Louisa Marion ('May') Traer (Mrs L. J. M. Bebb) (1858-1839), her children, and (by 1995) grand-daughter.

Exhibitions

• 1905: Memorial Exhibition of the Works of the late James McNeill Whistler, First President of The International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers, New Gallery, Regent Street, London, 1905 (cat. no. 138) as 'Pencil drawing of a Baby'.

Bibliography

Catalogues Raisonnés

• MacDonald, Margaret F., James McNeill Whistler. Drawings, Pastels and Watercolours. A Catalogue Raisonné, New Haven and London, 1995 (cat. no. 297) as 'Miss May Traer'.

Catalogues 1855-1905

• Memorial Exhibition of the Works of the late James McNeill Whistler, First President of The International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers, New Gallery, Regent Street, London, 1905 (cat. no. 138) as 'Pencil drawing of a Baby'.

Newspapers 1855-1905

• Morning Post, London, 6 March 1905.