The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler
YMSM 031
Portrait of a big Englishman
Date
Portrait of a big Englishman may date from 1860. 1
The sculptor Charles L. Drouet (1836-1908) told the Pennells in 1900 that Whistler painted the portrait of 'a big Englishman who was copying a picture of Angelica Kauffmann's in the Louvre', but Drouet did not know what became of it. 2
Angelica Kauffman (1741-1807) was a popular artist, much copied in the 19th century. La baronne de Krüdener, et son fils Paul was acquired by the Louvre in 1860: if this was the painting being copied, then Whistler's portrait may date from the same year.
Images
Portrait of a big Englishman, Whereabouts unknown
Portrait of Luke A. Ionides, Private collection
Subject
Titles
Only one title has been suggested:
- Portrait of a big Englishman (1980, YMSM). 3
Description
The portrait of a man.
Sitter
The sitter has not been identified.
Portrait of Luke A. Ionides, Private collection
Whistler painted Lucas (Luke) Alexander Ionides (1837-1924), who was quite a sturdy young man: it is just possible this refers to him. Also, Portrait of Luke A. Ionides y032 dates from 1860, which would match the acquisition of Kauffmann's painting by the Louvre. However, Whistler had ceased to copy in the Louvre by 1860, which is why it is generally assumed that the 'big Englishman' was painted while Whistler was a student himself, probably between 1856 and 1858. The story as related by Drouet could be wrong in detail or entirely apocryphal.
Technique
Technique
Nothing is known about the technique.
Conservation History
Unknown: it may not have been completed.
Frame
Unknown.
History
Provenance
Unknown.
Exhibitions
It was not exhibited in Whistler's lifetime.
Bibliography
Catalogues Raisonnés
- Young, Andrew McLaren, Margaret F. MacDonald, Robin Spencer, and Hamish Miles, The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler, New Haven and London, 1980 (cat. no. 31) as 'Portrait of a big Englishman'.
Authored by Whistler
- None.
Catalogues 1855-1905
- None.
Journals 1855-1905
- None.
Monographs
- None.
Books on Whistler
- Pennell, Elizabeth Robins, and Joseph Pennell, The Whistler Journal, Philadelphia, 1921, p. 93.
Books, General
- None.
Catalogues 1906-Present
- None.
Journals 1906-Present
- None.
Websites
On Angelica Kauffmann:
- Angelika Kauffmann: La baronne de Krüdener, Louvre, website at http://cartelen.louvre.fr.
- Baumgärtel, Bettina, ed., Angelika Kauffmann Research Project: A Catalogue Raisonné, website at https://www.angelika-kauffmann.de.
Unpublished
- None.
Other
- None.
Notes:
1: YMSM 1980 [more] (cat. no. 31).
2: Pennell 1921C [more], p. 93.
3: YMSM 1980 [more] (cat. no. 31).