The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

Venus and Cupid dates from 1901.

Venus and Cupid, The Hunterian

It is catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1699).

Images

Subject

Description

Venus and Cupid, The Hunterian

The nude woman was drawn within an oval frame, bending towards a toddler standing in front of her, to left. The figures are somewhat unspecific, and could equally be a mother and child making good use of Pears soap, or a 'Venus and Cupid'.

Sitter

The model, if any, has not been identified.

Technique

Composition

Venus and Cupid, The Hunterian

The woman was drawn within an oval frame, and appears related to Adam and Eve m1697, Eve m1698 and The Retort m1700. The figures are somewhat unspecific, and could equally be a mother and child making good use of Pears soap, or a 'Venus and Cupid'.

Conservation History

The left side of the paper is torn. Whistler used the other half of the sheet for Eve m1698.

History

Provenance

• 1903: in Whistler's studio at his death, and bequeathed to his ward and executrix, Rosalind Birnie Philip (1873-1958) ;
• 1958: bequeathed by Miss R. 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. 1699) as 'Venus and Cupid'.

Websites

• The Hunterian, University of Glasgow website at http://collections.gla.ac.uk.