The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

The Retort dates from 1901.

The Retort, The Hunterian

It is catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1700).

Images

Subject

Description

The Retort, The Hunterian

A standing nude woman seems to be plucking fruit from a tree, while to right is a child tending a retort. It is not clear if this is intended to be producing soap or cider.

Technique

Composition

The Retort, The Hunterian

This is one of several designs for a competition for an advertisement for Pear's soap. See also Adam and Eve m1697 and Eve m1698.

Technique

See MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1700).

Conservation History

It is similar paper to Eve m1698 and Venus and Cupid m1699 and related to the same project.

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. 1700) as 'The Retort'.

Websites

• The Hunterian website at http://collections.gla.ac.uk.