The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

r.: and v.: Butterfly were probably drawn in 1899 as illustrations for Whistler 1899 (F)[more].

Butterfly, Library Of Congress

v.: Butterfly, Library Of Congress

The sheet is catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1573).

Images

Subject

Description

r.: Butterfly, Library Of Congress

v.: Butterfly, Library Of Congress

Two exuberant dancing butterflies, one with long barbed wriggly tail curving up to left, and the other - a butterfly bending over to left - has a short curved barbed tail at right.

Comments

In 1894 William Eden (1849-1915) commissioned a portrait of his wife Sybil Frances Grey, Lady Eden (1867-1945). Whistler, dissatisfied with the amount (100gns) and manner of payment, retained and altered the portrait (Brown and Gold: Portrait of Lady Eden y408). After an appeal, in December 1897, the Court de Cassation let him retain the portrait but return the money. Whistler was well satisfied to see the Code Napoléon altered, to specify an artist's right to decide the fate of his works.

Whistler planned to publish an account of the affair, a compilation of letters, newspaper reports and legal documents, with William Heinemann (1863-1920), who had published the Gentle Art of Making Enemies in 1890. There was some problem with publishing in London, and, with Heinemann’s tacit agreement, Louis-Henry May in Paris took over the publication. A first proof was run off, using mainly butterflies originally drawn for the Gentle Art of Making Enemies. These butterflies were mostly replaced by new ones, in a second proof. There are at least two versions of some of the designs. They were slightly reduced in size in the final publication.

For the book, Whistler designed 15 butterflies, a club (A club on a cushion m1564), and a frog (Frog m1553). He also drew some butterflies which were not used (v.: Butterfly; r.: see No. 1268 m1572, Butterfly with chequered wings m1578, r.: Butterfly; v.: Butterfly with chequered wings m1579). The Baronet and the Butterfly was comparatively sparing of butterflies. Many marginal annotations, which in the Gentle Art of Making Enemies would have warranted a butterfly, did not get one. Some of the butterflies were very badly reproduced (r. and v.: Butterfly m1561, r.: Butterfly 'Encountered'; v.: Butterfly m1562). There were obviously publication problems, and it was not an entirely satisfactory venture. However, Whistler did not admit of criticism and seems, publicly, to have been entirely satisfied with the outcome.

Technique

Composition

Butterfly, Library Of Congress

v.: Butterfly, Library Of Congress

Although possibly intended for Whistler 1899 (F)[more], neither butterfly was used although the skipping butterfly resembles the one which adorns the 'Resumé' (Butterfly m1574). The obsequious butterfly on the verso is a bit like that of 'Noblesse Abuse!' (see Butterfly for 'Noblesse abuse!' m1551).

Technique

The pen lines are very confident. It was drawn in ink, with corrections in white. Above the butterfly on the recto are drafts of a wriggly tail crossed out.

History

Provenance

• 1917: given by Elizabeth Robins Pennell (1855-1936) and Joseph Pennell (1860-1926) to the Library of Congress.

See MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1570).

Bibliography

Catalogues Raisonnés

• MacDonald, Margaret F., James McNeill Whistler. Drawings, Pastels and Watercolours. A Catalogue Raisonné, New Haven and London, 1995 (cat. no. 1573) as 'r.: and v.: Butterfly'.

Authored by Whistler

• Whistler, James McNeill, Eden versus Whistler: The Baronet and the Butterfly. A Valentine with a Verdict, Paris: Louis-Henry May, 1899, pp. iii, 79.