The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

Plan of a room was drawn in a letter from Ernest Brown (1881-1962) to Whistler dated 20 January 1896. ¹

Plan of a room, Glasgow University Library

It was catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1452).

Images

Subject

Site

Plan of a room, Glasgow University Library

Not identified. At this time Beatrice Philip (Mrs E. W. Godwin, Mrs J. McN. Whistler) (1857-1896) was very ill, and the plan may relate to the search for a house and studio in London.

Technique

Technique

Plan of a room, Glasgow University Library

The plan is small, only about 80 mm (3 1/8") long. It may have been drawn by Whistler or one of the Birnie Philips.

Conservation History

The first and fourth sides are blank, the letter being written on the two inner sides, and the plan added after the signature, on side three. The letter was folded once vertically and then into three horizontally, and the folds are a little dirty.

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. 1452) as 'Plan of a room'.

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 #01336.