The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler
M.0654
Sketches of three heads
Date
Sketches of three heads may date from about 1876.
Sketches of three heads, whereabouts unknown
It has not been seen by the authors of this catalogue.
It is catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 654).
Images
Sketches of three heads, whereabouts unknown
Subject
Sitter
Not identified.
Technique
Technique
Known to the authors of this catalogue only from a photograph.
History
Provenance
- Date unknown: possibly owned by Henry Graves (1806-1892) or Algernon Graves (1845-1922)
- Before 1938: owned by Albert E. Ottinger (1878-1938) of New York;
- 1938: after his death, possibly sold with four other drawings at auction, Christie's, London, 16 December 1938 (lot 152) as 'Studies of Heads' and bought by 'Waters'.
- 1950: sold with three other drawings at auction, Christie's, London, 21 April 1950 (lot 140) 'two portraits of a lady … three in one frame with an autograph letter from the Artist addressed 'Dear Mrs.Graves' with a full signature and butterfly monogram: and a pen and wash drawing of a lady walking on the bend of a road with a bridge above' bought by 'Yonge'.
The early provenance is uncertain.
Exhibitions
It was not exhibited in Whistler's lifetime.
Bibliography
Catalogues Raisonnés
- MacDonald, Margaret F., James McNeill Whistler. Drawings, Pastels and Watercolours. A Catalogue Raisonné, New Haven and London, 1995 (cat. no. 654) as 'Sketches of three heads.
Catalogues 1906-Present
- SALE:
- Christie's, London, 21 April 1950 (lot 140).