The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler
M.1016
Portrait studies of the artist, his brother Dr Whistler, and others
Date
Portrait studies of the artist, his brother Dr Whistler, and others dates from about 1885.
Portrait studies of the artist, his brother Dr Whistler, and others, Private Collection
It is catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1016). The entry has been revised.
Images
Portrait studies of the artist, his brother Dr Whistler, and others, Private Collection
Subject
Sitter
Portrait studies of the artist, his brother Dr Whistler, and others, Private Collection
The woman at left could be Maud Franklin (1857-1939). At upper right, the man is probably William McNeill Whistler (1836-1900). The man at lower right may be Mortimer Luddington Menpes (1860-1938). At centre right is James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903); this may be a self-portrait or a portrait by another artist such as Menpes.
Technique
Technique
Portrait studies of the artist, his brother Dr Whistler, and others, Private Collection
It is possible that the head at centre right is by another hand, possibly that of Mortimer Luddington Menpes (1860-1938).
NOTE: In the Ashmolean Museum there is a drawing of a woman, a copy, not by Whistler, of the woman in profile left.
History
Provenance
- ca 1885: probably given by Whistler to Mortimer Luddington Menpes (1860-1938), London, who owned it in 1907.
- 1964: sold at auction, Sotheby's, London, 16 December 1964 (lot 5) as 'A Sheet of portrait studies', and bought by 'Farlow'.
- 1972: sold at auction, Sotheby's, London, 22 November 1972 (lot 19, repr.) as 'Portrait studies of the Artist, his brother Dr Whistler, & others.' and bought by MacLean, art dealer;
- 1973: sold in January by William Derby, London art dealer, to Davis and Long, New York dealers;
- 1973: with Meredith J. Long (n/a), Houston dealer, in July 1973;
- ca 1973: sold by Davis & Long to a private collector.
See further details in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1016).
Exhibitions
No exhibition is known 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. 1016) as 'Portrait studies of the artist, his brother Dr Whistler, and others'.
Books, General
- Wood, T. Martin, 'Drawings and Sketches by Modern Masters', The Studio, vol. 39, January 1907, pp. 334-45, p. 339, repr. p.345 with heads transposed.