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

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M.0126
Childs' Geometry book: (a) Spider's web, surveying instruments and man with lorgnette; (b) Man wearing a top hat

Artist: James McNeill Whistler
Date: 1853
Collection: Private Collection
Accession Number: none
Medium: pen, brown ink, pencil and printed text
Support: off-white wove paper, from 'Sketches in Elements of Geometry and Trigonometry from the Works of A. M. Legendre revised and adapted to the course of mathematical instruction in the United States by Charles Davies, LL.D.', published by A. S. Barnes & Co., New York 1851. Boards 211 x 128 (8 5/16 x 5), only covers and frontispiece extant.
Size: (a) 8 1/16 x 4 13/16; (b) 8 1/16 x 5"; (a) 205 x 122mm; (b) 205 x 128 mm)
Signature: 'Whistler' and 'J. Whistler.'
Inscription: various notes and bets including, 'That Whistler will not put three drawings/ in Webb's album on specified pages within /14 days- Stakes one treat at Joe's to be/ paid on l5th day - June 4th - /l85[illeg]./ De l'Enfant arbiter- Instantor / constantor?] & Scribe/ Signed by dr Alex. S. Webb/ Interested wittness. J.Whistler." ' and on the title page, by the hand of F. L. Childs, 'This book was reduced to its present state by J. Whistler.'

Childs' Geometry book: (a) Spider's web, surveying instruments and man with lorgnette; (b) Man wearing a top hat

Technique

It is difficult to identify the authors of these sketches, given that several cadets contributed to the notes and bets recorded. It is likely that Whistler drew the man's head, with its battered top hat.

Last updated: 4th January 2019 by Margaret