The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

Six paintings probably dates from 1886 or 1887. Whistler drew and listed pictures for a proposed exhibition (possibly at the Society of British Artists, of which he was, briefly, President), with some of the owners. ¹

Six paintings, detail, Glasgow University Library

Six paintings, detail, Glasgow University Library

Six paintings, detail, Glasgow University Library

The sheet was catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1328), wrongly dated 'c. 1892'. This entry has been amended.

Images

Subject

Description

The paintings depicted include Arrangement in Grey: Portrait of the Painter y122; possibly Arrangement in Grey: Portrait of Master Stephen Manuel y321; a seascape, possibly ; Variations in Flesh Colour and Green: The Balcony y056; a scene with ships, perhaps Grey and Silver: Chelsea Wharf y054 and Purple and Rose: The Lange Leizen of the Six Marks y047.

Sitter

Six paintings, Glasgow University Library

The sketches include a very rough outline of Whistler's self-portrait, Arrangement in Grey: Portrait of the Painter y122.

Technique

Composition

Six paintings, detail, Glasgow University Library

Arrangement in Grey: Portrait of the Painter, Detroit Institute of Arts

Six paintings, detail, Glasgow University Library

Arrangement in Grey: Portrait of Master Stephen Manuel, Freer Gallery of Art

The two portraits depicted are Arrangement in Grey: Portrait of the Painter y122 and possibly Arrangement in Grey: Portrait of Master Stephen Manuel y321.

Six paintings, detail, Glasgow University Library

Blue and Silver: Blue Wave, Biarritz, Hill-Stead Museum

The Coast of Brittany, Wadsworth Athenaeum

The beach scene or seascape, might be Blue and Silver: Blue Wave, Biarritz y041 or The Coast of Brittany y037, though neither seem exactly similar.

Six paintings, detail, Glasgow University Library

Variations in Flesh Colour and Green: The Balcony, Freer Gallery of Art

Variations in Flesh Colour and Green: The Balcony y056 is very recognisable.

Six paintings, detail, Glasgow University Library

Grey and Silver: Chelsea Wharf, National Gallery of Art, DC

A scene with ships may be Grey and Silver: Chelsea Wharf y054, although the proportions seem incorrect.

Six paintings, detail, Glasgow University Library

Purple and Rose: The Lange Leizen of the Six Marks, Philadelphia Museum of Art

Finally, the drawings show Purple and Rose: The Lange Leizen of the Six Marks y047.

Conservation History

The paper has a torn edge at the left side, and was folded three times both ways.

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

It was not exhibited in the artist's lifetime.

Bibliography

Catalogues Raisonnés

• MacDonald, Margaret F., James McNeill Whistler. Drawings, Pastels and Watercolours. A Catalogue Raisonné, New Haven and London, 1995 (cat. no. 1328) as 'Six paintings'.

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 #06795.