The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler
M.0246
r.: Gamblers; v.: Man seated on bench
Date
r.: Gamblers; v.: Man seated on bench dates from between August and October 1858.
r.: Gamblers, Freer Gallery of Art
It is fully catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 246).
Images
r.: Gamblers, Freer Gallery of Art
r.: Gambling salon at Baden-Baden, Freer Gallery of Art
v.: Man seated on bench, no image available
Subject
Site
r.: Gamblers, Freer Gallery of Art
Possibly a casino in Baden-Baden, a popular spa town in the state of Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. In front of the two men seated at right there is a curved object that could possibly be a roulette wheel.
However, it has been suggested that this scene represents passengers seated on a boat, 1 in which case perhaps the long-established title of 'Gamblers' is appropriate.
Technique
Composition
r.: Gamblers, Freer Gallery of Art
r.: Gambling salon at Baden-Baden, Freer Gallery of Art
This may be a study for a more elaborate figure composition, as seen in another sketch, r.: Gambling salon at Baden-Baden; v.: Girl knitting, street scene, cloaked figure m0245.
Conservation History
The sheet was probably taken from a sketchbook. Over fifty drawings, many in sketchbooks, most of which dated from 1857-1858, were apparently given to Whistler's half-sister Deborah and/or her husband, Francis Seymour Haden, and were later removed from the sketchbooks.
History
Provenance
- 1858: probably given to Deborah Delano Haden (1825-1908) or her husband Francis Seymour Haden, Sr (1818-1910);
- 1898: sold through Wunderlich, New York dealers, to Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919);
- 1919: bequeathed by C. L. Freer to the Freer Gallery of Art.
See further details in r.: Les Côtes à Dieppe; v.: Cliffs and building m0222.
Exhibitions
It was not, as far as is known, exhibited in Whistler's lifetime.
Due to the terms of Freer's will, it cannot be shown in another venue.
Bibliography
Catalogues Raisonnés
- MacDonald, Margaret F., James McNeill Whistler. Drawings, Pastels and Watercolours. A Catalogue Raisonné, New Haven and London, 1995 (cat. no. 246) as 'Gamblers'.
Catalogues 1906-Present
- Curry, David Park, James McNeill Whistler at the Freer Gallery of Art, New York and London, 1984, p. 222, pl. 173.
Websites
- Freer Gallery of Art website at https://asia.si.edu/object/F1898.192 as 'Gamblers'.
Notes:
1: Freer Gallery of Art website.