The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

A house with an open window was probably painted on the Whistlers' honeymoon, in the autumn of 1888, but could date from later. Yale Center for British Art suggests it dates from the late 1890s.

A house with an open window, Yale Center for British Art

It is fully catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1177).

Images

Subject

Site

A house with an open window, Yale Center for British Art

According to Harold Wright (1885-1961), probably with information from Rosalind Birnie Philip (1873-1958), this was painted in Brittany, France.

Technique

Technique

A house with an open window, Yale Center for British Art

See MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1178).

History

Provenance

• 1903: in Whistler's studio at his death and bequeathed to his sister-in-law Rosalind Birnie Philip (1873-1958);
• 1958: bequeathed to the University of Glasgow;
• 1968: de-accessioned and acquired by Ira Spanierman (n/a), New York dealer, in part-exchange for Copy after Ingres's 'Roger délivrant Angélique' y011, May 1968;
• After 1968: sold to Davis & Long, New York dealers;
• After 1968: bought by Paul Mellon (1907-1999);
• 1993: Paul Mellon Collection, Yale Center for British Art.

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. 1178) as 'A house with an open window'.

Catalogues 1906-Present

• Whistler "The Naval Review", Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, 2005.
• Paul Mellon's Legacy: A Passion for British Art, Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, 2007.

Websites

• Yale Center for British Art website at https://collections.britishart.yale.edu.