The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

Design for a butterfly was a design for brooches to be worn at the opening of Mr Whistler's Exhibition, Flemish Gallery, 48 Pall Mall, London, 1874. It was apparently given to William Cleverly Alexander (1840-1916) or a family member, and put in an album.

Design for a butterfly, British Museum

It is fully catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 564).

Images

Subject

Description

Design for a butterfly, British Museum

A bold design based on Whistler's butterfly monogram, for brooches to be word at the opening of his exhibition.

Technique

Technique

Design for a butterfly, British Museum

See MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 564).

Conservation History

The sheet was put into an album.

History

Provenance

• 1874: probably given by the artist to William Cleverly Alexander (1840-1916), London, and put in an album;
• 1916: passed to their daughters Rachel Alexander (1875-1964) and Jean Ingelow Alexander (1877-1972);
• 1958: given to the British Museum.

Exhibitions

There is no record of an exhibition in Whistler's lifetime, although it was a design for decorative brooch to be worn at Mr Whistler's Exhibition, Flemish Gallery, 48 Pall Mall, London, 1874.

Bibliography

Catalogues Raisonnés

• MacDonald, Margaret F., James McNeill Whistler. Drawings, Pastels and Watercolours. A Catalogue Raisonné, New Haven and London, 1995 (cat. no. 564) as 'Design for a butterfly'.

Journals 1906-Present

• Illustrated Review, London, 17 June 1874.