The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

Panel of four pictures was drawn on the draft of an unrelated letter, from Whistler to the Committee for the Fund for the Preservation of Hogarth's House, dated 22 November 1901. ¹

Panel of four pictures, Glasgow University Library, Special Collections

It is catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1703).

Images

Subject

Description

A row of four pictures (frame only) with one horizontal, an oval, and two vertical format works.

Technique

Composition

Panel of four pictures, Glasgow University Library, Special Collections

This is probably a plan for Whistler's panel for the 19th Exposition Internationale de Peinture et Sculpture at the Galerie Georges Petit, which opened on 5 December 1901. It shows one large oval and three small rectangular pictures. He eventually sent two two pastels (The Captive m1524 and Note en violet - La Lettre m1702) and two oils, Rose and Brown: La Cigale y495 and Rose and Gold: The Little Lady Sophie of Soho y504.

Conservation History

The letter was written on the first three sides, with the drawing sideways on, at the top of the second side. The paper has a slight regular grain. It was folded again for posting and the fold is a little dirty. The letter, relating to "the imminent destruction of Hogarth's House, Chiswick", has nothing to do with the drawing. ²

History

Provenance

• 1903: in Whistler's studio at his death, and bequeathed to his ward and executrix, Rosalind Birnie Philip (1873-1958) ;
• 1955: given by Miss R. Birnie Philip to the University of Glasgow.

Exhibitions

The drawing was not exhibited, but did concern the hanging of Whistler's work in Exposition Internationale de Peinture et de Sculpture, Galeries George Petit, Paris, 1901.

Bibliography

Catalogues Raisonnés

• MacDonald, Margaret F., James McNeill Whistler. Drawings, Pastels and Watercolours. A Catalogue Raisonné, New Haven and London, 1995 (cat. no. 1703) as 'Panel of four pictures'.

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 #02156.