The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

Girl's head was drawn on the verso of the draft of a letter from Whistler to the Royal Scottish Watercolour Society in June 1894, not related to the drawing. ¹

Girl's head, Glasgow University Library

It was catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1408).

Images

Subject

Sitter

Girl's head, Glasgow University Library

Unidentified.

Technique

Technique

Girl's head, Glasgow University Library

The head is curiously shaped, and was drawn with angular penwork, in long angular strokes, in an odd, jerky style, and could be by Whistler or possibly by Beatrice Philip (Mrs E. W. Godwin, Mrs J. McN. Whistler) (1857-1896).

Conservation History

The lines in the background were blotted together. The envelope has been sealed and torn open but bears no address.

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 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. 1408) as 'Girl's head'.

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 #05265.