The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

Butterflies hatching out of eggs were drawn on the verso of the draft of a letter to Hilaire-Germain-Edgar Degas (1834-1917), on or about 20 October 1890. ¹

Butterflies hatching out of eggs, Glasgow University Library

It was catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1432) wrongly dated 1895: the date has been corrected.

Images

Subject

Description

Butterflies hatching out of eggs, Glasgow University Library

A series of eggs from which butterflies are emerging.

Technique

Composition

It is possible this was an idea for an image in Whistler 1890 [more].

Technique

Butterflies hatching out of eggs, Glasgow University Library

The tiny sketches are very rough, and several were crossed out. They have no obvious connection with the letter, and may not be by Whistler.

Conservation History

The scrap of paper is irregular in shape, twice folded, and dirty.

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.

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. 1432) as 'Butterflies hatching out of eggs.

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 .