The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

M.0593
Cylindrical Jar

Cylindrical Jar

Artist: James McNeill Whistler
Date: 1876/1878
Collection: Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute, Utica, NY
Accession Number: 69.168
Medium: pen, black ink and wash
Support: cream Japan paper, laid down on card
Size: 7 9/16 x 5 1 /16" (193 x 129 mm)
Signature: butterfly
Inscription: none

Date

Cylindrical Jar dates from 1876/1878. It is a preliminary study for an illustration in a catalogue of the collection of Henry Thompson (1820-1894). 1

Cylindrical Jar, Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute
Cylindrical Jar, Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute

The drawing is catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 593).

Images

Cylindrical Jar, Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute
Cylindrical Jar, Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute

Cylindrical Jar, Freer Gallery of Art
Cylindrical Jar, Freer Gallery of Art

Subject

Description

Cylindrical Jar, Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute
Cylindrical Jar, Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute

A sketch of a cylindrical jar, with a central vertical line ruled to ensure accuracy.

The actual jar was described in the Thompson catalogue as 'Cylindrical Vase, with short hollow neck; companion to the above. Height 11 ½ inches.' The 'above' was described as 'Pair of Beakers, … The body covered with flowers and leaves on a wavy ground of translucent blue; round the neck and foot bands of ornament. Mark, double ring.' 2 The pattern is summarised in Whistler's study for the final illustration.

Technique

Composition

Cylindrical Jar, Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute
Cylindrical Jar, Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute

Cylindrical Jar, Freer Gallery of Art
Cylindrical Jar, Freer Gallery of Art

This is an preliminary study for Plate 1, Thompson 1878 [more]. The final version is Cylindrical Jar m0594, in the Freer Gallery of Art.

History

Provenance

Exhibitions

It was not, as far as is known, exhibited in Whistler's lifetime.

Bibliography

Catalogues Raisonnés

Authored by Whistler


Notes:

1: Thompson 1878 [more].

2: Thompson 1878 [more], p. 2 (cat. no. 3) repr. pl. 1; it refers to the previous entry, p. 1 (cat. no. 3).

3: Cylindrical Jar m0593, Oviform Vase m0595Bottle m0597, Bottle m0598, Oviform Ginger-Jar with Bell-Shaped Cover m0600, Oviform Vase and Cover m0602, Large Bowl and Cover m0604, Oviform Vase m0606, Oviform Vase m0607, Oviform Vase m0608, Oviform Vase m0609, Double Gourd Vase m0612, Beaker m0614, Beaker m0615, Vase with slightly bulging body and expanding neck m0619, Cylindrical Vase with thick neck m0620, Cylindrical Vase with thick neck m0621, Square Canister with long neck m0623, Square Canister with expanding neck m0625, Globular-shaped Bottle with long neck, and a deep dish m0627, Saucer-shaped Dish m0629, Square Canister with square neck, and saucer-shaped Dish m0630, Plate, Bowl with a cover surmounted by a cup-shaped knob, Globular-shaped Bottle with long neck and Eight-sided Bowl m0632, Bottle of compressed globular form m0635, Treble-Gourd Vase with long neck, and Bowl with scalloped edge m0639, Teapot in the form of a pomegranate m0641, Globular Bottle with long thin neck, Cylindrical-shaped Pot with flat cover surmounted by a knob, and Shallow Bowl m0643, Oviform Pot and cover m0646, Beaker with expanding neck m0648, Oviform Vase and cover m0650.