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

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The Little Faustina

Technique

The Little Faustina, Freer Gallery of Art
The Little Faustina, Freer Gallery of Art

A label on the stretcher written by Whistler's sister-in-law Miss R. Birnie Philip's reads 'Inachevé' (unfinished). However, there is no specific suggestion that Brun et or: De race [YMSM 511], The Boy in a Cloak [YMSM 512] and Vert et or: Le Raconteur [YMSM 513] were considered incomplete by Whistler. A. J. Eddy considered them 'superb bits of portraiture', which 'had just been finished.' 1

It is, however, rather dark, thinly painted, and rubbed as part of the painting process, particularly around her mouth.

Conservation History

It was relined in 1922, resurfaced in 1933, 'cleaned and surfaced' in 1951. 2

Frame

The Little Faustina, Freer Gallery of Art
The Little Faustina, Freer Gallery of Art

A Grau-style frame, dating from the 1890s. 3

Notes:

1: Eddy 1903 [more], pp. 273-74.

2: Conservation notes, Freer Gallery of Art.

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

Last updated: 25th November 2020 by Margaret