The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

Adam and Eve dates from early 1901. It is dated from the references (on the verso) to 'Bonapart's [sic] island', and Napoleon, Whistler having just returned from Napoleon's birthplace, Corsica.

Adam and Eve, The Hunterian

It is fully catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1697).

Images

Subject

Sitter

Adam and Eve, The Hunterian

The models have not been identified. They represent Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

Technique

Composition

Adam and Eve, The Hunterian

This is one of several designs for a competition for an advertisement for Pear's soap. In this case Eve is tempting Adam with the apple (soap!) from the Tree of Knowledge. See also Eve m1698.

Technique

See MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1697).

History

Provenance

• 1903: in Whistler's studio at his death, and bequeathed to his ward and executrix, Rosalind Birnie Philip (1873-1958) ;
• 1958: bequeathed by Miss R. 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. 1697) as 'Adam and Eve'.

Websites

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