The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

Design for a sign for 'Mr Whistler's Lithographs' was drawn in a letter from Whistler in Lyme Regis to Marcus Bourne Huish (1843-1904) of the Fine Art Society in London, 17 November 1895. ¹

Design for a sign for 'Mr Whistler's Lithographs', Glasgow University Library

It was catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1446).

Images

Subject

Description

Design for a sign for 'Mr Whistler's Lithographs', Glasgow University Library

A very simple design of text, 'Mr. Whistler's Lithograsphs', above a single butterfly.

Technique

Composition

Design for a sign for 'Mr Whistler's Lithographs', Glasgow University Library

The relevant part of the accompanying letter reads

'Enclosed sketch for signs - which I would have nearly square - as shown by the two vertical lines, which would be its limits -

Also have it White - and the lettering & Butterfly Black - the whole thing being varnished -

This arrangement I would not like you to use for any one else.' ²

History

Provenance

• 1895: sent to Marcus Bourne Huish (1843-1904), of the Fine Art Society, London.
• 1921: sold by James Tregaskis (1850-1926), London book and art dealer (December 1921, cat. no. 413 iii).
• Date unknown: acquired by Rosalind Birnie Philip (1873-1958), London;
• 1955: given by Miss 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. 1446) as 'Design for a sign for 'Mr Whistler's Lithographs''.

Catalogues 1906-Present

• Andreeva, Galina, and Margaret F. MacDonald, Whistler and Russia, State Tretyakow Gallery, Moscow, 2006 (cat. no. 116).

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 #02975.