The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler
YMSM 198
Sketch for a Portrait of Henry Greaves
Date
Sketch for a Portrait of Henry Greaves dates from about 1878. 1
According to Walter Greaves (1846-1930) (reported by the Pennells), 'Whistler once painted Harry Greaves on top of a moonlight.' 2 Charles Augustus Howell (1840?-1890) recorded in his diary, on 22 February 1878, the purchase from Whistler of 'a sketch for ... a portrait of Greaves' together with several other paintings (Girl with Cherry Blossom y090, Nocturne y114 or Nocturne: Blue and Silver - Battersea Reach y119, Study for the Head of Miss Cicely H. Alexander y128, and Nocturne: Grey and Gold - Chelsea Snow y174) for £50.0.0. 3 Howell did not, however, specify which Greaves brother was represented.
Images
Sketch for a Portrait of Henry Greaves, Whereabouts unknown
Subject
Titles
Only one title has been suggested:
- Sketch for a Portrait of Henry Greaves (1980, YMSM). 4
Description
The portrait of a man.
Sitter
Henry Greaves (1843-1904) and Walter Greaves (1846-1930) were the sons of Charles William Greaves, Chelsea, boat-builder and waterman. Both of them were pupils and followers of Whistler, and were associated with him from the early 1860s when they lived at No. 10 Lindsey Row (now Cheyne Walk) while Whistler lived at No. 7 and then No. 2.
Apart from the Pennells, there is no further record of a painting by Whistler of either brother. According to Walter, their sister Alice ('Tinnie') also posed to him.
A portrait of Henry by Walter Greaves is in Chelsea Library. 5
Technique
Technique
Unknown.
Conservation History
Unknown.
Frame
Unknown.
History
Provenance
1878: possibly bought from Whistler by Charles Augustus Howell (1840?-1890).
On 22 February 1878 C. A. Howell wrote in his diary that he had bought from Whistler of 'a sketch for ... a portrait of Greaves', together with several other paintings (Girl with Cherry Blossom y090, Nocturne y114 or Nocturne: Blue and Silver - Battersea Reach y119, Study for the Head of Miss Cicely H. Alexander y128, and Nocturne: Grey and Gold - Chelsea Snow y174) for £50.0.0. 6
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. 198) as 'Sketch for a Portrait of Henry Greaves'.
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, pp. 69, 141.
Books, General
- Marchant, Wm. and Co., A Reply to an Attack Made by One of Whistler's Biographers on a Pupil of Whistler, Mr Walter Greaves and his Work, London, 1911.
Catalogues 1906-Present
- Goupil Gallery, Catalogue of Oil Paintings, a Water Colour and Etchings, by Walter Greaves, Pupil of Whistler, London, [1911], p. 4 (cat. nos. 31, 58).
- Walter and H. Greaves (Pupils of Whistler), Goupil Gallery, London, 1922, pp. 17-18.
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. 126).
Other
- None.
Notes:
1: YMSM 1980 [more] (cat. no. 198).
2: Pennell 1921C [more], pp. 69, 141.
3: Ibid.
4: YMSM 1980 [more] (cat. no. 198).
5: Chelsea Library, The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Acc. No. 3449F; ArtUK website at https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/henry-greaves-179312.
6: Pennell 1921C [more], pp. 69, 141.