The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler
M.0003
Flight of Xerxes
Date
It is dated 27 February 1843, and was given to Thomas de Kay Winans (1820-1878).
Flight of Xerxes, Metropolitan Museum of Art
For more information on this work, see MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 3).
Images
Flight of Xerxes, Metropolitan Museum of Art
Subject
Description
Flight of Xerxes, Metropolitan Museum of Art
This drawing, showing mailed soldiers and archers, and several ships, may be a copy of an illustration. The story of the flight of King Xerxes after his defeat by the Greeks was told in the history of Herodotus.
Technique
Technique
Flight of Xerxes, Metropolitan Museum of Art
The pencil work is immature and tentative, with careful, but incomplete, outlines and diagonal shading. A double margin was ruled all the way round. The paper is probably wove, has a smooth surface and is darkened.
Conservation History
The Winans Scrapbook contains 57 sketches. It is not known exactly when the album was put together. The earliest drawing in the album is this one, dated 27 February 1843, but most date from his years at West Point. Some titles were written on the drawings, and a few on the sheets of the album, in Whistler's hand, so he helped to put it together, possibly as late as 1855, before leaving for Paris. Later works, including etchings from the 'French Set', must have been added by members of the Winans family.
The pages of the album were of thin wove paper, which became browned and fragile. The drawings have now been removed from the scrapbook and some have been laid down.
History
Provenance
- 1853/1854: given to Thomas de Kay Winans (1820-1878) and family;
- 1878-1970: passed by family descent to his daughter Celeste Marguerite Winans (Mrs G. M. Hutton) (1855-1925), her daughter Lucette Marguerite Hutton, Mrs H. A. Prichard (1885-1957), and grand-daughters, Margaret Celeste Prichard, Mrs T. A. Buell (1908-1970), Helen Lucette Prichard, Mrs J. M. King (1913-2005), and Sybil Agnes Prichard, Mrs E. G. Walk (1915-2009);
- 1970: given by Margaret C. Buell, Helen L. King, and Sybil A. Walk to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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. 3) as 'Flight of Xerxes'.
Websites
- Metropolitan Museum of Art website.