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

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Portrait of Charles L. Freer

Titles

There have been minor variations in the title:

  • 'Portrait of Mr Freer' (1902, Whistler). 1
  • 'Portrait of Charles L. Freer' (1980, YMSM). 2

'Portrait of Charles L. Freer' is the preferred title.

Description


                    Portrait of Charles L. Freer, Freer Gallery of Art
Portrait of Charles L. Freer, Freer Gallery of Art

A half-length portrait of a man in three-quarter view to right, looking at the viewer. He has greying hair, a short pointed beard and a moustache curled up at the ends. He wears a reddish brown jacket and poses against a dark khaki/green background. The portrait is in vertical format.

Sitter


                    Charles L. Freer, photograph, Freer Gallery of Art
Charles L. Freer, photograph, Freer Gallery of Art

Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919) of Detroit was Whistler's major patron from the late 1880s until the artist's death. He formed the largest collection of Whistler's work in America, and bequeathed it to the Freer Gallery of Art, Washington, DC.


                    Portrait of Charles L. Freer, Freer Gallery of Art
Portrait of Charles L. Freer, Freer Gallery of Art

                    Charles L. Freer, photograph, Freer Gallery of Art
Charles L. Freer, photograph, Freer Gallery of Art

Freer's rapport with Whistler comes over strongly in this vivid head with its sensitive and alert expression.

Notes:

1: Whistler to C. L. Freer, memo., GUW #09089.

2: YMSM 1980 [more] (cat. no. 550).

Last updated: 13th December 2020 by Margaret