The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

M.1328
Six paintings

Six paintings

Artist: James McNeill Whistler
Date: 1886/1887
Collection: Glasgow University Library
Accession Number: MS Whistler W784
Medium: pencil
Support: cream laid paper,watermark of a crown over 'ROYAL IRISH LINEN/ MARCUS WARD & CO'
Size: 8 15/16 x 6 15/16" (227 x 177 mm)
Signature: none
Inscription: list of paintings and owners

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
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

Six paintings, detail, Glasgow University Library
Six paintings, detail, Glasgow University Library

Six paintings, detail, Glasgow University Library
Six paintings, detail, Glasgow University Library

Six paintings, detail, Glasgow University Library
Six paintings, detail, Glasgow University Library

Six paintings, detail, Glasgow University Library
Six paintings, detail, Glasgow University Library

Six paintings, detail, Glasgow University Library
Six paintings, detail, Glasgow University Library

Six paintings, detail, Glasgow University Library
Six paintings, detail, Glasgow University Library

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

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

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

The Coast of Brittany, Wadsworth Athenaeum
The Coast of Brittany, Wadsworth Athenaeum

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

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

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

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
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
Six paintings, detail, Glasgow University Library

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

Six paintings, detail, Glasgow University Library
Six paintings, detail, Glasgow University Library

Arrangement in Grey: Portrait of Master Stephen Manuel, Freer Gallery of Art
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
Six paintings, detail, Glasgow University Library

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

The Coast of Brittany, Wadsworth Athenaeum
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
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, Freer Gallery of Art

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

Six paintings, detail, Glasgow University Library
Six paintings, detail, Glasgow University Library

Grey and Silver: Chelsea Wharf, National Gallery of Art, DC
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
Six paintings, detail, Glasgow University Library

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

Exhibitions

It was not exhibited in the artist's lifetime.

Bibliography

Catalogues Raisonnés

Websites


Notes:

1: [1886/1887], formerly dated [4/11 January 1892], GUW #06795.