The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler
M.0286
Sketches of the journey to Alsace
Date
Sketches of the journey to Alsace probably date from October 1858, and were drawn in a letter sent to Whistler's half-sister Deborah Delano Haden (1825-1908). The letter was started en route from Aix la Chapelle and completed and sent from Paris. 1
Sketches of the journey to Alsace, photograph, Library of Congress
Fully catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 286).
Images
Sketches of the journey to Alsace, photograph, Library of Congress
The image source is a photograph in the E. R. & J. Pennell Collection, Library of Congress, Washington DC.
Subject
Description
Sketches of the journey to Alsace, photograph, Library of Congress
The relevant parts of the letters are as follows:
'How, after having hopelessly waited for an answer to my letter, during ten long days, Erneste and I … we then set off, with nothing but a blouse on our backs - [drawing of Whistler and Delannoy] ...
… how my wretched Parisian shoes got rid of a portion of their soles ... and a great part of their upper leather - [drawing of shoes] ...
… Shall I say that the man who gardes [sic] the life of his Emperor understood the neatness of my argument. [drawing, Whistler bribing a gendarme] ...
… my entré at the Café Voltaire on Sunday evening was of the most triumphant! - [drawing, Whistler and friends in the Café Voltaire] Comment! t'es pas mort! …' 2
Sitter
Whistler and his companion Ernest Delannoy (d. 1869/1872) figure in the sketches.
Technique
Technique
Sketches of the journey to Alsace, photograph, Library of Congress
Lively pen drawings are scattered through the letter. The ink shows through a little from the verso.
History
Provenance
The letter, sent to Deborah Delano Haden (1825-1908), has not been located; part of it survives in a manuscript copy in Glasgow University Library and a photograph of part is in the Pennell Collection in the Library of Congress. 3
Bibliography
Catalogues Raisonnés
- MacDonald, Margaret F., James McNeill Whistler. Drawings, Pastels and Watercolours. A Catalogue Raisonné, New Haven and London, 1995 (cat. no. 286) as 'Sketches of the journey to Alsace'.
Websites
- The Correspondence of James McNeill Whistler, 1855-1903, edited by Margaret F. MacDonald, Patricia de Montfort and Nigel Thorp; including The Correspondence of Anna McNeill Whistler, 1855-1880, edited by Georgia Toutziari. On-line edition, University of Glasgow, 2004, GUW #01912.
Notes:
1: GUW #01912.
2: GUW #01912.
3: GUW #01912.