The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

According to E. B. Haskell (quoted by Cary), Sketch of a Girl was painted in Venice 1879/1880, and given by Whistler in Venice to the landscape painter William Graham (1841-1910). A note on the back reads 'Sketch from a Model in Venice painted by J. McNeil [sic] Whistler about 1882 - Wm Graham'. ¹

Although William Graham was acquainted with Whistler in Venice 1879/1880, there is no mention of such a painting in his correspondence with Whistler, although Whistler did ask Graham to take care of 'these odd canvases' when he left Venice. ²

Sketch of a Girl, Private collection, photograph 1974

Technically, with areas of thick impasto, it is not consistent with Whistler's work at that time. ³ Indeed it is not at all consistent with his work at any time.

Images

Subject

Titles

One title has been suggested:

• 'Sketch of a Girl' (1904, Copley Society, Boston). ⁴
• 'Sketch of a Girl' (1980, YMSM). ⁵

Description

Sketch of a Girl, Private collection

A half-length portrait of a girl holding an open fan up in her left hand, to fan her face.

Sitter

Unknown.

Technique

Technique

Sketch of a Girl, Private collection, photograph 1974

It is painted rather thickly, and is unlike Whistler's technique.

Conservation History

Unknown.

Frame

Unknown.

History

Provenance

• Before 1904: sold by William Graham (1841-1910) to Edwin Bradbury Haskell (1837-1907), Auburndale, NY;
• 1907: passed by family descent to E. B. Haskell's son, Dr Henry Hill Haskell (1869-1944) and grand-daughter, Marcia Hill Haskell (1902-1982);
• 1947: sold by M. H. Haskell to the Babcock Gallery, New York;
• 1948-1951: with art dealers, the Babcock Gallery and Knoedler's, New York.
• By 1980: with John Lamb (dates unknown), Mount Kisco, New York.
• By 1995: private collection.

It was said to have been given by Whistler to the artist William Graham, but since it is not by Whistler this seems unlikely. Graham sold it to E. B. Haskell who lent it to the Boston Whistler memorial exhibition in 1904. It passed by family descent to Marcia Hill Haskell, who sold it to the Babcock Gallery in November 1947 for $900. It was lent by Knoedler's to an exhibition in Sarasota in 1949 (cat. no. 26), and by the Babcock Gallery to the exhibition American Tradition, 1800–1900, National Academy of Design, New York, 1951 (cat no. 145), in both cases as 'Girl with Fan'. It is not known when it was acquired by John Lamb or later owners.

It was seen by the authors of this catalogue on temporary deposit with an art dealer in New York.

Exhibitions

Oil Paintings, Water Colors, Pastels and Drawings: Memorial Exhibition of the Works of Mr. J. McNeill Whistler, Copley Society, Boston, 1904 (cat. no. 8) as 'Sketch of a Girl':

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. 215), plate 139, as 'Sketch of a Girl'.

Authored by Whistler

• None.

Catalogues 1855-1905

• Oil Paintings, Water Colors, Pastels and Drawings: Memorial Exhibition of the Works of Mr. J. McNeill Whistler, Copley Society, Boston, 1904 (cat. no. 8) as 'Sketch of a Girl'.

Journals 1855-1905

• None.

Monographs

• None.

Books on Whistler

• Cary, Elizabeth Luther, The Works of James McNeill Whistler: A Study, with a Tentative List of Artist’s Works, New York, 1907, p. 145 (cat. no. 8).

Books, General

• None.

Catalogues 1906-Present

• Exhibition, Sarasota, Florida, 1949 (cat. no. 26) as 'Girl with Fan'.
• American Tradition, 1800–1900, National Academy of Design, New York, 1951 (cat no. 145) as 'Girl with Fan'.

Journals 1906-Present

• Art Digest, 15 December 1947, repr. p. 24.

Websites

• None.

Unpublished

• Revillon, Joseph Whistler, Draft Catalogue Raisonné of the Paintings of J. McN. Whistler, [ca 1945-1955], Glasgow University Library (cat. no. 100) 'Sketch of a girl / Girl with a fan'.

Other

• None.