Detail from The Canal, Amsterdam, 1889, James McNeill Whistler, The Hunterian, University of Glasgow

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Study of a Girl's Head and Shoulders

Technique

Study of a Girl's Head and Shoulders, Art Institute of Chicago
Study of a Girl's Head and Shoulders, Art Institute of Chicago

The medium and technique have been analysed by Kimberley Muir at the Art Institute of Chicago. 1

It is painted thinly on a mahogany panel ca 10 mm thick, with a vertical grain. It was prepared with a pale grey ground of coarsely-ground lead white mixed with calcium compounds and barium sulfate. This shows through in many places. The pigment used for the portrait includes lead white, iron oxide or earth pigments, cobalt blue, vermilion, and bone black. 2

The face was first drawn roughly, possibly with charcoal, which is visible in places around the face and front of the figure. It was painted with soft, careful strokes of the brush, in thin paint; the hair was paint rather more dryly, and her clothes, much more roughly. It was left largely unfinished in the lower third of the panel. Muir states: 'A few final strokes were added wet-over-dry, including the slightly thicker and more opaque paint above the shoulders, some darker touches in the hair, and some of the background strokes above the head. The butterfly monogram was applied on top of these final strokes.' 3

Conservation History

The conservation and condition of the painting are discussed by Kimberley Muir in the Art Institute of Chicago online catalogue. The painting may have a natural resin varnish, and is in very good condition. 4

Frame

Study of a Girl's Head and Shoulders, Art Institute of Chicago
Study of a Girl's Head and Shoulders, Art Institute of Chicago

It is now in the broad, reeded frame illustrated above. 5

Notes:

1: Muir, Kimberley, 'Cat. 36 Study of a Girl’s Head and Shoulders, 1896/97: Technical Summary,' in Whistler Paintings and Drawings at the Art Institute of Chicago, The Art Institute of Chicago, 2020, URL.

2: Muir 2020, ibid.

3: Muir 2020, ibid.

4: Muir 2020, op. cit.

5: Dr S. L. Parkerson Day, Report on frames, 2017. Parkerson 2007 [more].

Last updated: 4th December 2020 by Margaret