The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

Mrs Willis bringing in the tea was drawn on a letter from Whistler to Rosalind Birnie Philip (1873-1958), postmarked 16 January 1897. ¹

Mrs Willis bringing in the tea, Glasgow University Library

It was catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1502).

Images

Subject

Sitter

Mrs Willis bringing in the tea, Glasgow University Library

Mrs Willis (fl. 1890/1900), Whistler's very unsatisfactory house-keeper at 8 Fitzroy Street. The relevant part of the letter reads :

'My honest native - bringing in the tea! -

No "decietful [sic] ways" in the Willis's!! - all open - & straightforward there!' ²

Technique

Technique

Mrs Willis bringing in the tea, Glasgow University Library

The nib appears to have been square cut, but flowing so freely that some strokes are well rounded and some have blotted.

Conservation History

The drawing is on the last, fourth, side of the sheet, which was folded again to go in the envelope.

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. 1502) as 'Mrs Willis bringing in the tea'.

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 #04699.