The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

Violet and Gold dates from 1890/1892.

Violet and Gold, The Hunterian

It is fully catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1292).

Images

Subject

Sitter

Violet and Gold, The Hunterian

Probably two of the Pettigrew sisters, Harriet ('Hettie') Pettigrew (1869-1953), Lilian Pettigrew (b. 1870), or Rose Amy Pettigrew (1872-1958).

Technique

Technique

Violet and Gold, The Hunterian

See MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1292).

History

Provenance

• 1903: in Whistler's studio at his death and bequeathed to his sister-in-law, Rosalind Birnie Philip (1873-1958);
• 1935: given by Miss Birnie Philip to the University of Glasgow.

Exhibitions

• 1892: possibly 31st Exhibition of Works of Modern Artists, Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, Glasgow, 1892 (cat. no. 692) as 'Violet and Yellow'.
• 1905: Œuvres de James McNeill Whistler, Palais de l'Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Paris, 1905 (cat. no. 151) as 'Violet and Gold'.

The Glasgow Herald commented on 22 April 1892 that 'The girls are not ravishingly beautiful, and would pass unnoticed in a crowd' and that 'the canary yellow is an excessive quantity'. Perhaps that is why the title was 'enhanced' to include gold.

By the terms of Miss Birnie Philip's Gift, this work cannot be lent to another venue.

Bibliography

Catalogues Raisonnés

• MacDonald, Margaret F., James McNeill Whistler. Drawings, Pastels and Watercolours. A Catalogue Raisonné, New Haven and London, 1995 (cat. no. 1292) as 'Violet and Gold'.

Catalogues 1855-1905

• Possibly 31st Exhibition of Works of Modern Artists, Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, Glasgow, 1892 (cat. no. 692) as 'Violet and Yellow'.
• Œuvres de James McNeill Whistler, Palais de l'Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Paris, 1905 (cat. no. 151) as 'Violet and Gold'.

Newspapers 1855-1905

• Anon., 'Glasgow Fine Art Exhibition', Dundee Advertiser, Dundee, 30 January 1892, p.4.
• Anon., 'Glasgow Fine Art Exhibition, Dundee Advertiser, Dundee, 30 January 1892, p. 4.
• Anon., 'Fine-Art Institute', Glasgow Herald, Glasgow, 2 April 1892, p. 9.

Catalogues 1906-Present

• Aquarellen, Pastels, Teekingen, Etsen, Lithographien en een Schilderij door James McNeill Whistler, Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam, 1906 (cat. no. 22) as'Violet and Gold'.

Websites

• The Hunterian website at http://collections.gla.ac.uk.