The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

M.0127
Conundrums

Conundrums

Artist: James McNeill Whistler and others
Date: 1853/1856
Collection: Private Collection
Accession Number: none
Medium: pen and brown ink
Support: off-white browned paper
Size: (a) 82 x 114 mm (3 1/4 x 4 1/2"); (b) 90 x 88 mm (3 9/16 x 3 1/2"); (c) 85 x 60 mm (3 3/8 x 2 3/8"); (d) 73 x 160 mm (2 7/8 x 6 5/8"); (e) 44 x 77 mm (1 3/4 x 32); (f) 81 x 145 mm (3 3/16 x 5 11/16"); (g) 63 x 142 mm (2 1/2 x 5 9/16"); (h) 45 x 120 mm (1 3/4 x 4 3/42); (i) 132 x 90 mm (5 3/16 x 3 9/162); (j) 132 x 90 mm (5 3/16 x 3 9/16"); (k) 100 x75 mm (3 15/16 x 2 15/162); (l) 135 x 110 mm (5 5/16 x 4 1/4"); (m) 74 x 105 mm (2 7/8 x 4 1/8"); (n) 162 x 101 mm (6 5/16 x 3 15/16"); (o) 72 x 104 mm (2 3/4 x 4"); (p) 99 x 197 mm (3 7/8 x 7 11/16"); (q) 62 x 121 mm (2 7/16 x 4 3/42); (r) 128 x 129 mm (5 x 5 1/16"); (s) 61 x 112 mm (2 5/16 x 4 3/8"); (t) 49 x 112 mm (1 7/8 x 4 3/8"); (u) 72 x 111 mm (2 3/4 x 4 5/16"); (v) 112 x 86 mm (4 3/8 x 3 5/16")
Signature: none
Inscription: various, see SUBJECT/ Description

Date

These Conundrums probably date from between 1853 and 1856.

Conundrums (t): 'Standing [?]/ Sound of' / one cent piece inscribed 'UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / ONE CENT / 1856' / '2 Save' [two soles]/ his mission - he.' Private Collection
Conundrums (t): 'Standing [?]/ Sound of' / one cent piece inscribed 'UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / ONE CENT / 1856' / '2 Save' [two soles]/ his mission - he.' Private Collection

They include a coin dated '1856' by which time Whistler had long left USMA. It is likely that more than one hand was involved in these drawings, which were owned by one of Whistler's tutors, Absalom Baird (1824-1905), Associate Professor of Mathematics at West Point.

They are catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 127); some changes have been made to the descriptions of the images.

Images

Conundrums: (a) 'A Shrine', Private Collection
Conundrums: (a) 'A Shrine', Private Collection

Conundrums: (b) Dunce/table, Private Collection
Conundrums: (b) Dunce/table, Private Collection

Conundrums: (c) 'The fate of traitors', Private Collection
Conundrums: (c) 'The fate of traitors', Private Collection

Conundrums: (d) 'Not observing', Private Collection
Conundrums: (d) 'Not observing', Private Collection

Conundrums: (e) 'AB' 'A [crossed out], 'P/100', Private Collection
Conundrums: (e) 'AB' 'A [crossed out], 'P/100', Private Collection

Conundrums: (f)' 'Desirable for pedestrians', Private Collection
Conundrums: (f)' 'Desirable for pedestrians', Private Collection

Conundrums: (g) Life is a [shadow] / how it [flies], Private Collection
Conundrums: (g) Life is a [shadow] / how it [flies], Private Collection

Conundrums: (h) 'X EE-tt/marriage/tt ee.', Private Collection
Conundrums: (h) 'X EE-tt/marriage/tt ee.', Private Collection

Conundrums: (i) 'B-B-B-B/C-C-C-C/E in Ds', no image available
Conundrums: (i) 'B-B-B-B/C-C-C-C/E in Ds', no image available

Conundrums: (j)'D/An American citizen', Private Collection
Conundrums: (j)'D/An American citizen', Private Collection

Conundrums: (k) Foot Locker, Private Collection
Conundrums: (k) Foot Locker, Private Collection

Conundrums: (l) 'Ambitious', Private Collection
Conundrums: (l) 'Ambitious', Private Collection

Conundrums: (m) 'A Poet', Private Collection
Conundrums: (m) 'A Poet', Private Collection

Conundrums: (n) 'A Poet', Private Collection
Conundrums: (n) 'A Poet', Private Collection

Conundrums: (o) 'Good Advice', Private Collection
Conundrums: (o) 'Good Advice', Private Collection

Conundrums: (p) 'an old dancing tune', Private Collection
Conundrums: (p) 'an old dancing tune', Private Collection

Conundrums: (q)' Mercantile news', Private Collection
Conundrums: (q)' Mercantile news', Private Collection

Conundrums: (r) 'Dedicated to Bolingbroke', Private Collection
Conundrums: (r) 'Dedicated to Bolingbroke', Private Collection

Conundrums: (s) 'J/T, liers/Sans', Private Collection
Conundrums: (s) 'J/T, liers/Sans', Private Collection

Conundrums: (t) 'Coin 'UNITED STATES of AMERICA / ONE CENT / 1856 ... his mission', Private Collection
Conundrums: (t) 'Coin 'UNITED STATES of AMERICA / ONE CENT / 1856 ... his mission', Private Collection

Conundrums: (u) Table/Inn/'G'// woman's head/ 'BAZ', Private Collection
Conundrums: (u) Table/Inn/'G'// woman's head/ 'BAZ', Private Collection

Conundrums: (v) 'To increase a scholar's task', Private Collection
Conundrums: (v) 'To increase a scholar's task', Private Collection

Subject

Titles

Description

Various words and titles are inscribed on the conundrums. Below are the conundrums illustrated, with the clues (pictures and lettering), and solutions, where known. What is actually written is given in quotation marks.

Conundrums: (a) ‘A Shrine’ = Awl/ tar = Altar
Conundrums: (a) ‘A Shrine’ = Awl/ tar = Altar

Conundrums: (b) Dunce / table = Dunstable
Conundrums: (b) Dunce / table = Dunstable

Conundrums: (c) ‘The fate of traitors’ = ‘B’/ head = Beheaded
Conundrums: (c) ‘The fate of traitors’ = ‘B’/ head = Beheaded

Conundrums: (d) ‘Not observing’ = In a tent = Inattentive
Conundrums: (d) ‘Not observing’ = In a tent = Inattentive

Conundrums: (e) ‘AB’, ‘A’ crossed out, ‘P/100’ = subject unknown, but P/100 = per cent
Conundrums: (e) ‘AB’, ‘A’ crossed out, ‘P/100’ = subject unknown, but P/100 = per cent

Conundrums: (f) ‘Desirable for pedestrians’ = ‘EE of’ / carriage = Ease of carriage
Conundrums: (f) ‘Desirable for pedestrians’ = ‘EE of’ / carriage = Ease of carriage

Conundrums: (g) 'Life is a' / Shad 'O' / 'how it' flies + Life is a shadow how it flies
Conundrums: (g) 'Life is a' / Shad 'O' / 'how it' flies + Life is a shadow how it flies

Conundrums: (h) ‘X EE’ small crosses / ‘marriage’ / tall crosses ‘ee’ = Before marriage, great ease, small crosses: after marriage, great crosses, little ease
Conundrums: (h) ‘X EE’ small crosses / ‘marriage’ / tall crosses ‘ee’ = Before marriage, great ease, small crosses: after marriage, great crosses, little ease

Conundrums: (i) ‘B-B-B-B/ C-C-C-C / E in Ds’ = Col. Forbes sent his forces into the East Indies; no image available
Conundrums: (i) ‘B-B-B-B/ C-C-C-C / E in Ds’ = Col. Forbes sent his forces into the East Indies; no image available

Conundrums: (j) 'D' / hanged man / 'An American citizen' = subject unknown
Conundrums: (j) 'D' / hanged man / 'An American citizen' = subject unknown

Conundrums: (k) Foot with lock = foot locker
Conundrums: (k) Foot with lock = foot locker

Conundrums: (l) Spire and shell / 'Ambitious' = Aspiring
Conundrums: (l) Spire and shell / 'Ambitious' = Aspiring

Conundrums: (m) Shell 'E / A poet' = Shelley
Conundrums: (m) Shell 'E / A poet' = Shelley

Conundrums: (n) Tall man in a street / 'A Poet' = Longfellow
Conundrums: (n) Tall man in a street / 'A Poet' = Longfellow

Conundrums: (o) 'A /B / meddling', 'Man (family) wife.' / 'Good Advice' = Be above meddling between a man and his wife
Conundrums: (o) 'A /B / meddling', 'Man (family) wife.' / 'Good Advice' = Be above meddling between a man and his wife

Conundrums: (p) Fisherman / horn/ pipe / 'an old dancing tune' = Fisherman's hornpipe
Conundrums: (p) Fisherman / horn/ pipe / 'an old dancing tune' = Fisherman's hornpipe

Conundrums:(q) Rose '&' loaf 'stuffs' / 'Mercantile news' = Roses and breadstuff are mercantile news
Conundrums:(q) Rose '&' loaf 'stuffs' / 'Mercantile news' = Roses and breadstuff are mercantile news

Conundrums: (r) Two bishops, man with 'SA' on his back / Dedicated to Bolingbroke' = subject unknown
Conundrums: (r) Two bishops, man with 'SA' on his back / Dedicated to Bolingbroke' = subject unknown

Conundrums (s): 'J' (the J is a cross)/ 'liers/sans' / 'French' = subject unknown
Conundrums (s): 'J' (the J is a cross)/ 'liers/sans' / 'French' = subject unknown

Conundrums (t): 'Standing [?]/ Sound of' / one cent piece inscribed 'UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / ONE CENT / 1856' / '2 Save' [two soles]/ his mission - he.' = his mission to save souls ?
Conundrums (t): 'Standing [?]/ Sound of' / one cent piece inscribed 'UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / ONE CENT / 1856' / '2 Save' [two soles]/ his mission - he.' = his mission to save souls ?

Conundrums (u):Turntable / Inn/ 'G'/ woman's head = Turning heads ? ('BAZ' on separate sheet)
Conundrums (u):Turntable / Inn/ 'G'/ woman's head = Turning heads ? ('BAZ' on separate sheet)

Conundrums (v): 'N n' / dog / 'RL' / To increase a scholar's task' = In doggerel?
Conundrums (v): 'N n' / dog / 'RL' / To increase a scholar's task' = In doggerel?

Technique

Technique

The conundrums are by various hands, possibly including that of Whistler, as family tradition has it.

Conservation History

The conundrums are on separate, irregularly trimmed, sheets.

History

Provenance

See MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 127): the record has been revised.

Exhibitions

As far as is known, it was not exhibited in Whistler's lifetime.

Bibliography

Catalogues Raisonnés

Notes: