The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler
M.0566
Studies of male and female figures
Date
Studies were first recorded as shown in the Eleventh Exhibition of the Society of French Artists, Deschamps Gallery, London, 1875 (no cat. no.) and probably date from earlier in the 1870s.
They are catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 566) as 'Studies'.
Images
Studies, whereabouts unknown
Subject
Description
The subjects were described as 'slight' and 'tentative' studies of nude and draped figures, of male and female models, in various attitudes, and studies for oil portraits, useful to the artist or to students. 'The Architect mentioned 'scrawls of the female form, hung about with old clothes' and the Globe found the draped figures 'suggestive of graceful action', but considered the nudes 'pert and imperfect in drawing.''
Technique
Technique
Reviews described them variously as being in chalk, crayon or pencil, on rough brown paper. The Architect described them as 'maunderings in graduated greys.' 1
History
Provenance
Unknown.
Exhibitions
- 1875: Eleventh Exhibition of the Society of French Artists, Deschamps Gallery, London, 1875 (no cat. no.).
Whistler's drawings hung on two sides of a screen. The art critic of the Builder wrote: 'to the initiated they have that interest which always attaches to the studies, however slight, of an artist of really an original turn, even though he moves in a somewhat eccentric orbit.' 2 Most critics, including the critic of The Globe on Anon., 'Society of French Artists', The Architect, 27 November 1875, p. 299, thought them unworthy of exhibition.
Bibliography
Catalogues Raisonnés
- MacDonald, Margaret F., James McNeill Whistler. Drawings, Pastels and Watercolours. A Catalogue Raisonné, New Haven and London, 1995 (cat. no. 566) as 'Studies of male and female figures'.
Catalogues 1855-1905
- Eleventh Exhibition of the Society of French Artists, Deschamps Gallery, London, 1875 (no cat. no.).
Newspapers 1855-1905
- The Globe, London, 16 November 1875.
Journals 1855-1905
- Anon., 'Society of French Artists', The Architect, 27 November 1875, p. 299.
- Anon., 'The Society of Fine Arts', The Athenaeum, 20 November 1875, pp. 578-79.
- Anon., 'The Society of French Artists', Builder, vol. 33, 27 November, 1875, pp. 105-06.
Notes:
1: Anon., 'Society of French Artists', The Architect, 27 November 1875, p. 299.
2: Anon., 'Society of French Artists', The Architect, 27 November 1875, p. 299.