The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

A butterfly in the clouds dates from 1890.

A butterfly in the clouds, Freer Gallery of Art

It is catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1260).

Images

Subject

Description

A butterfly in the clouds, Freer Gallery of Art

A butterfly based on Whistler's monogram 'JW', with the addition of a long barbed tail, is seen flying above the clouds. It was designed for Whistler 1890 [more].

Technique

Composition

A butterfly in the clouds, Freer Gallery of Art

Designed for Whistler 1890 [more]. The first edition of The Gentle Art of Making Enemies ends 'affection & faith'- (Envoi) on p. 286, and the butterfly flying over clouds (slightly tidied up for publication) appeared as 'FINIS' on p. 287 (which was not paginated). This butterfly was moved to p. 335 in the 2nd edition, Whistler 1892 [more].

History

Provenance

• 1890: probably sent by Whistler to William Heinemann (1863-1920), London publisher.
• 1904: bought from Obach, London art dealers, by Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919), Detroit;
• 1919: bequeathed to the Freer Gallery of Art.

Further details are given in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1260).

Exhibitions

It was not, as far as is known, exhibited in Whistler's lifetime.

By the terms of Freer's will, this work cannot be lent to another venue.

Bibliography

Catalogues Raisonnés

• MacDonald, Margaret F., James McNeill Whistler. Drawings, Pastels and Watercolours. A Catalogue Raisonné, New Haven and London, 1995 (cat. no. 1260) as 'A butterfly in the clouds'.

Authored by Whistler

• Whistler, James McNeill, The Gentle Art of Making Enemies, London, 1890, repr. p. 287.
• Whistler, James McNeill, The Gentle Art of Making Enemies, 2nd edition, London and New York, 1892, repr. p 335.