The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

r.: Masked girl wearing a head-dress skipping; v.: Dancer date from 5 January 1878. They were drawn on the draft of a letter (one of three), probably dating from 4 January 1878, from Whistler to B. Verity & Sons regarding Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room y178. ¹

r.: Masked girl wearing a head-dress skipping Glasgow University Library

v.: Dancer Glasgow University Library

The sketches are fully catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 663).

Images

Subject

Sitter

r.: Masked girl wearing a head-dress skipping Glasgow University Library

v.: Dancer Glasgow University Library

The sketches probably related to visits by Whistler and friends to see Ellen ('Nellie') Farren (1848-1904) and Ellen Terry (1847-1928) in John Hollingshead's farce The Grasshopper, and Henry James Byron's burlesque Little Dr Faust, at the Gaiety Theatre in January 1878. Whistler drew and painted several subjects related to these performances (r.: Masked girl wearing a head-dress skipping; v.: Dancer m0663, Souvenir of the Gaiety m0664, r.: Nellie Farren; v.: Demon m0665, r.: Demon; v.: Two sketches of Nellie Farren m0666, r.: Two sketches of Nellie Farren; v.: Studies of two actors or actresses, one playing a banjo m0667, r.: Demon; v.: Young woman m0668, and Harmony in Blue: The Duet y196.

Technique

Technique

r.: Masked girl wearing a head-dress skipping Glasgow University Library

v.: Dancer Glasgow University Library

See MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 663).

History

Provenance

• 1903: in Whistler's studio at his death and bequeathed to his sister-in-law and executrix, Rosalind Birnie Philip (1873-1958);
• 1955: given by Miss Birnie Philip to the University of Glasgow.

Exhibitions

It has not been exhibited.

Bibliography

Catalogues Raisonnés

• MacDonald, Margaret F., James McNeill Whistler. Drawings, Pastels and Watercolours. A Catalogue Raisonné, New Haven and London, 1995 (cat. no. 663) as 'r.: Masked girl wearing a head-dress skipping; v.: Dancer'.

Websites

• The Correspondence of James McNeill Whistler, 1855-1903, edited by Margaret F. MacDonald, Patricia de Montfort and Nigel Thorp; including The Correspondence of Anna McNeill Whistler, 1855-1880, edited by Georgia Toutziari. Online edition, University of Glasgow. GUW #05963.