The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

r. and v.: Study for a proposed portrait of the Duke Marlborough probably dates from some time between April and September 1892. George Charles Spencer-Churchill (1844-1892), 8th Duke of Marlborough commissioned 'state' portraits of himself and his wife, Lillian Warren Spencer-Churchill (1854-1909), Duchess of Marlborough. The Duke suggested sittings in May 1892 in London, but arrangements for sittings seem to have lapsed thereafter. ¹ Whistler was invited to Blenheim in September but this visit was probably cancelled. The Duke died on 9 November 1892.

r.: Study for a proposed portrait of the Duke Marlborough, The Hunterian

It was catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1337).

Images

Subject

Sitter

r.: Study for a proposed portrait of the Duke Marlborough, The Hunterian

This is a study for a portrait of George Charles Spencer-Churchill (1844-1892), 8th Duke of Marlborough, but it is likely the Duke did not actually pose for it.

Technique

Composition

r. Study for a proposed portrait of the Duke Marlborough, The Hunterian

This is a study for a portrait that, as far as is known, was never started.

Technique

The figure was drawn with broken lines, and a guiding line through the centre of his face.

Conservation History

The drawing was torn from a larger sheet, on the left side, and has a slight regular horizontal grain.

History

Provenance

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

Exhibitions

It was not exhibited in Whistler'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. 1338) as 'r. and v.: Study for a proposed portrait of the Duke Marlborough'.

Websites

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