The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

Mrs Willis bringing in the coals was drawn on a letter from Whistler to Rosalind Birnie Philip (1873-1958), postmarked 22 January 1897. ¹

Mrs Willis bringing in the coals, Glasgow University Library

It was catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1503).

Images

Subject

Sitter

Mrs Willis bringing in the coals, Glasgow University Library

Mrs Willis (fl. 1890/1900), the drunken housekeeper at 8 Fitzroy Street. The relevant text reads:

'The native Willis this morning // "Wen [sic] I go - you - hic! you will have to bring 'em up - hic! yourself!!' ²

Technique

Technique

Mrs Willis bringing in the coals, Glasgow University Library

The roughly scrawled sketch is in grey-black ink, drawn with a broad nib. There is a blot on her shoulder, and the pen dried up when he was drawing her skirt.

Conservation History

The paper is smooth and shiny, folded for the post, and slightly grubby. The letter was written on all sides, the sketch being on the first side.

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. 1503) as 'Mrs Willis bringing in the coals'.

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 #04700.