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

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Portrait of a Boy

Provenance

William Graham (1841-1910) is the main source of information on this portrait, and described Whistler painting the portrait of Langdon's son, without any prior agreement as to the cost. Whistler told Graham that such a portrait should cost £300, but he doubted the Colonel's ability to pay it, and asked Graham to discuss it with the Colonel. The Colonel said that he had only meant Whistler to make a drawing, in return for a letter written by the Colonel to the Buffalo papers. So he did not take the portrait, and Whistler removed it. 1

Graham thought the etcher William Scott (1848-1918), who was Whistler's neighbour in Venice, might know to whom Whistler gave the oil sketch. 2

Exhibitions

None.

Notes:

1: W. Graham, Reminiscences sent to C. L. Freer, 3 March 1908, Freer Gallery Archives.

2: Graham to R. Birnie Philip, 11 May 1908, GUL MS Whistler BP III 8/42.

Last updated: 10th November 2019 by Margaret