The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

Portrait of Lord Redesdale dates from between 1876 and 1878. ¹

The Pennells recorded, on information from Lord Redesdale, that 'A portrait started of Lord Redesdale, in Van Dyck costume' in about 1876 was slashed to pieces by the artist to prevent its falling into the hands of his creditors.' ² Both Portrait of Lord Redesdale y188 and Portrait of Lady Redesdale y189 were destroyed at the time of Whistler's bankruptcy.

Images

Subject

Titles

Only one title has been suggested:

• 'Portrait of Lord Redesdale' (1980, YMSM). ³

Description

It was described by the sitter to the Pennells, quoting the sitter, as 'A portrait started of Lord Redesdale, in Van Dyck costume'. ⁴

Sitter

Lord Algernon B. Redesdale (1837-1916).

Camille Silvy, Algernon Bertram Mitford, Lord Redesdale, National Portrait Gallery Ax50733

Born Algernon Bertram Mitford, of Batsford Park, Gloucestershire, and Birdhope Craig, Northumberland, he succeeded to the estates of his cousin the Earl of Redesdale in 1886 and was created Baron Redesdale in 1902. After service in the Diplomatic Corps in Pekin, he went to Japan as second secretary to the British Legation, and wrote Tales of Old Japan (1871). He resigned in 1873 and married Clementine Gertrude Helen Ogilvy – Lady Clementine Redesdale (1854-1932) – in 1874 (see Portrait of Lady Redesdale y189). They lived at Lindsey House, near Whistler and Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-1882), from 1877, and were friendly with Whistler for many years. Baron Redesdale was secretary to H.M. Office of Works, 1874-86, and later an M.P. He published several volumes of memoirs.

Technique

Technique

Unknown.

Conservation History

Probably 'slashed to pieces' according to the Pennells. ⁵

Frame

Unknown.

History

Provenance

Unknown.

Exhibitions

It was not shown 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. 188), plate 412, as 'Portrait of Lord Redesdale'.

Authored by Whistler

• None.

Catalogues 1855-1905

• None.

Journals 1855-1905

• None.

Monographs

• None.

Books on Whistler

• Pennell, Elizabeth Robins, and Joseph Pennell, The Life of James McNeill Whistler, 2 vols, London and Philadelphia, 1908, vol. 1, p. 201.

Books, General

• Redesdale, Algernon Bertram Freeman-Mitford, Further Memories, London, 1917, photograph of sitter repr. frontisp.

Catalogues 1906-Present

• None.

Journals 1906-Present

• None.

Websites

• None.

Unpublished

• Revillon, Joseph Whistler, Draft Catalogue Raisonné of the Paintings of J. McN. Whistler, [ca 1945-1955], Glasgow University Library (cat. no. 129).

Other

• None.