The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler
M.0001
Duck
Date
This is Whistler's earliest known drawing and dates from 1838. It is known only from a photograph.
Duck, photograph, Library of Congress
It is catalogued fully in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1).
Images
Duck, photograph, Library of Congress
Subject
Sitter
Duck, photograph, Library of Congress
A duck!
Technique
Conservation History
Duck, photograph, Library of Congress
A dotted line was drawn round the edge of the sheet, which was trimmed across each corner, and probably inserted in an album.
History
Provenance
- 1838: given to Kate Livermore (1820-1907).
William E. Gray, 92 Queen's Road, Bayswater, London, photographed 'Drawing of Duck' for Joseph Pennell (1860-1926) in 1907. 1 This suggests that it was in Pennell's possession, if briefly, at that time.
Exhibitions
It was not exhibited in Whistler's lifetime.
Bibliography
Catalogues Raisonnés
- MacDonald, Margaret F., James McNeill Whistler. Drawings, Pastels and Watercolours. A Catalogue Raisonné, New Haven and London, 1995 (cat. no. 1) as 'Duck'.
Books on Whistler
- Pennell, Elizabeth Robins, and Joseph Pennell, The Life of James McNeill Whistler, 2 vols, London and Philadelphia, 1908, vol. 1, repr. p. 10.
Notes:
1: Bill dated 11 February 1907, E. R. & J. Pennell Collection, Library of Congress. At the same time Gray photographed 'Book cover & frontispiece', 'Small round drawing 2 Figures', and 'One of the Board.' One of the Board m0094.