The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

r.: A woman in transparent drapery; v.: A woman with a parasol date from 1890/1892. It is possible that this was by Beatrice Philip (Mrs E. W. Godwin, Mrs J. McN. Whistler) (1857-1896), but the style and technique are marginally closer to J. McN. Whistler's work.

r.: A woman in transparent drapery, The Hunterian

The drawings are fully catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1311).

Images

Subject

Sitter

Unidentified.

Technique

Technique

r.: A woman in transparent drapery, The Hunterian

Although this drawing was originally attributed to Beatrice Philip (Mrs E. W. Godwin, Mrs J. McN. Whistler) (1857-1896), the technique looks more like Whistler's work, although the pose is a little stiff.

v.: A woman with a parasol, The Hunterian

There is some doubt about the attribution of the drawing on the recto, and even more, about the faint drawing (particularly the shading) on the verso. However, at this time, the style of drawing by James and Beatrice Whistler converged.

History

Provenance

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

Exhibitions

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

Due to the terms of Miss Birnie Philip's will, this work cannot be lent to any other venue.

Bibliography

Catalogues Raisonnés

• MacDonald, Margaret F., James McNeill Whistler. Drawings, Pastels and Watercolours. A Catalogue Raisonné, New Haven and London, 1995 (cat. no. 1311) as 'r.: A woman in transparent drapery; v.: A woman with a parasol'.

Websites

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