The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

Cadet Colquitt's Mathematics notebook dates from 1852, when Whistler was a cadet at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Dates mentioned in the album range from June to October 1852. One page mentions a bet by Gracie that the owner of the notebook, Peyton H. Colquitt (1831-1863), would get higher marks for Drawing than Gracie, and be asked to 'draw his piece over' by their drawing master, Robert Walter Weir (1803-1889). Several cadets involved in drawing or annotating this notebook, including Colquitt and Whistler, failed to graduate.

Cadet Colquitt's Mathematics notebook, front cover, The Hunterian

'Oriental head, chemistry experiments, &c', inside cover, & 'Oriental figure, man in a striped cap, &c', p. 1, Cadet Colquitt's Mathematics notebook, The Hunterian

It is not known how Whistler acquired the notebook, but he owned it by 1877, when it was used for notes, including an inventory of his etchings (mostly in the hand of Maud Franklin (1857-1939)).

It is catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 98), but with different pagination. This catalogue entry has been corrected and extended.

Images

Subject

Description

'Cloister with two monks', Cadet Colquitt's Mathematics notebook, p. 45, The Hunterian

It contains numerous sketches including Oriental head, chemistry experiments, and other sketches; Oriental figure, man in a striped cap, and other sketches; Boning and Not Boning; Soldier; Heads; Cloister with two monks; A figure and a man in a hat; Heads and hats; Figure studies; and Soldier.

The sketches show a variety of subjects including, illustrated above, a composition involving monks, possibly related to subjects studied in the art classes at West Point under Robert Walter Weir (1803-1889). See, for example, a more finished drawing, Monk reading m0142.

Sitter

'Boning' and 'Not Boning', Cadet Colquitt's Mathematics notebook, p. 4, The Hunterian

The subjects include cadets and soldiers, not necessarily drawn from life.

Technique

Technique

'Heads and hats', Cadet Colquitt's Mathematics notebook, p. 49, The Hunterian

'Figure studies', Cadet Colquitt's Mathematics notebook, p. 59, The Hunterian

'Soldier', Cadet Colquitt's Mathematics notebook, p. 223, The Hunterian

The sketches are in various media (pencil, pen and ink, wash and watercolour) and involve several of Whistler's fellow cadets including Ferdinand Charles Hutter (1831-1885) and Archibald Gracie jr (1832-1864). It is difficult to distinguish the work of individuals, although it is assumed that the more capable drawings, such as the 'Heads and hats' and 'Soldier' reproduced above, are by Whistler, but that the 'Figure studies', despite the fact that Whistler's name appears on that page, are not.

History

Provenance

• 1852: the album was signed on p. 1 by the then owner, Peyton H. Colquitt (1831-1863).
• By 1877: owned by J. McN. Whistler.
• 1903: in Whistler's studio at his death and bequeathed to his sister-in-law and executrix Rosalind Birnie Philip (1873-1958);
• 1958: bequeathed by Miss Birnie Philip to the University of Glasgow.

See MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 98).

Bibliography

Catalogues Raisonnés

• MacDonald, Margaret F., James McNeill Whistler. Drawings, Pastels and Watercolours. A Catalogue Raisonné, New Haven and London, 1995 (cat. no. 98) as 'Cadet Colquitt's Mathematics notebook'.

Websites

• The Hunterian website at http://collections.gla.ac.uk/#/details/ecatalogue/40168.