The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

Finger was drawn in an unrelated letter from Whistler to Henry John Cockayne Cust (1861-1917), the Editor of the Pall Mall Gazette dated 4 April 1894. ¹

Finger, Glasgow University Library

It was catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1404).

Images

Subject

Description

Rough sketches of a finger.

Technique

Technique

Finger, Glasgow University Library

The letter is in pen, the sketches in pencil.

Conservation History

The paper is grubby and ink-stained, the right side, irregular.

History

Provenance

• 1903: in Whistler's studio at his death in 1903 and bequeathed to his sister-in-law, Rosalind Birnie Philip (1873-1958);
• 1955: given by Miss Birnie Philip to the University of Glasgow.

Although the letter was addressed to Henry John Cockayne Cust (1861-1917) it is not certain that it was actually sent to him, since it was in Whistler's possession at his death.

Exhibitions

It was not exhibited at any time.

Bibliography

Catalogues Raisonnés

• MacDonald, Margaret F., James McNeill Whistler. Drawings, Pastels and Watercolours. A Catalogue Raisonné, New Haven and London, 1995 (cat. no. 1404) as 'Finger'.

Websites

• The Correspondence of James McNeill Whistler, 1855-1903, edited by Margaret F. MacDonald, Patricia de Montfort and Nigel Thorp; including The Correspondence of Anna McNeill Whistler, 1855-1880, edited by Georgia Toutziari. Online edition, University of Glasgow, 2003-2004, GUW #04395.