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

 

Portrait of Henry Harrison

Portrait of Henry Harrison may have been started in 1859, but not necessarily ever completed.

In a letter from Paris in 1859 to his half-sister Deborah Delano Haden (1825-1908) Whistler wrote,

'I'm working hard and my stay in London with you and Seymour has done me an immense good in "my art" - I have seen Henry Harrison and have begun his portrait which I hope to finish when he returns from England where he has gone for a few days - I have prepared sketches for two pictures and have drawn one of them in on the canvass [sic], all from Nature tell Seymour.' 1

'Seymour' was Francis Seymour Haden, Sr (1818-1910). There is no further reference to the portrait.

Notes:

1: Whistler to D. D. Haden, [12/30 January 1859], GUW #01913.

Last updated: 26th November 2019 by Margaret