The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

Rabbits was drawn in a letter from George Henry Cadogan (1840-1915) to Whistler dated 14 November 1888, apparently unrelated to the bunnies. ¹

Rabbits, Glasgow University Library

It is catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1197).

Images

Subject

Description

Three cute little bunny rabbits.

Technique

Technique

Rabbits, Glasgow University Library

It seems unlikely that Cadogan doodled cute bunnies upside down on the letter. The decorative element is not handled in the usual style of either Whistler or his wife Beatrice Philip (Mrs E. W. Godwin, Mrs J. McN. Whistler) (1857-1896). However, both experimented with different styles. The economy of line and element of wit suggest it could be by Whistler. It is possible that the drawing was a visual pun on the name Birnie Philip: Beatrice's younger sister Ethel was nicknamed 'Bunnie'.

Conservation History

The sheet has been torn from a larger, folded sheet of notepaper, the torn edge being to the left of the embossed arms. There are two pinholes at top left, probably caused by pinning it to other documents. The sheet has been folded into four. The drawings are on the verso. The letter was written with a medium square nib, the ink, being slightly watery, has taken something of the tone of the paper. The drawings are in a similar ink and nib, but done upside down.

History

Provenance

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

Exhibitions

There is no record of any exhibition.

Bibliography

Catalogues Raisonnés

• MacDonald, Margaret F., James McNeill Whistler. Drawings, Pastels and Watercolours. A Catalogue Raisonné, New Haven and London, 1995 (cat. no. 1197) as 'Rabbits'.

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, 2003-2004, GUW #00769.