The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

Heads of man and woman dates from 1892. The sheet contains notes and letter drafts by Whistler, unrelated to the drawings. ¹

Heads of man and woman, Glasgow University Library

It was catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1336).

Images

Subject

Sitter

Heads of man and woman, Glasgow University Library

The man's downcast head looks somewhat like Whistler himself and it is possible that Beatrice Philip (Mrs E. W. Godwin, Mrs J. McN. Whistler) (1857-1896) drew James and vice versa.

Technique

Technique

Heads of man and woman, Glasgow University Library

The drawings could possibly be by Beatrice Philip (Mrs E. W. Godwin, Mrs J. McN. Whistler) (1857-1896). The strongly structured cross-hatching is characteristic of her work.

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 has not been exhibited.

Bibliography

Catalogues Raisonnés

• MacDonald, Margaret F., James McNeill Whistler. Drawings, Pastels and Watercolours. A Catalogue Raisonné, New Haven and London, 1995 (cat. no. 1336) as 'Heads of man and woman'.

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 #07508.