The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler
YMSM 177
Portrait of a Boy
Date
Portrait of a Boy dates from 1876. 1
On 10 April 1876 the New York Herald described among Whistler's current works 'the portrait of a lovely boy with large, earnest eyes and waving hair.' 2
On 11 January 1877 Alan Summerly Cole (1846-1934) noted in his diary 'With J. who showed a portrait of small fair haired boy.' 3
It is also possible that this was the painting referred to as a 'full length portrait of a lad', treated by the picture liner William Morrill (b. ca 1839), who sent Whistler his bill in March 1879. 4
Furthermore, it is possible that the portraits described by the New York Herald, Alan S. Cole, and William Morrill were one and the same work.
Images
Portrait of a Boy, Whereabouts unknown
Subject
Titles
Only one title has been suggested:
- 'Portrait of a Boy' (1980, YMSM). 5
Description
It was described in the New York Herald as 'the portrait of a lovely boy with large, earnest eyes and waving hair'. 6 It may also have been 'a portrait of small fair haired boy' described by A.S. Cole in 1877. 7 Finally, it may have been the 'full length portrait of a lad', recorded by William Morrill in 1879. 8
Sitter
Unknown.
Technique
Technique
Unknown.
Conservation History
It is possible that this was the painting referred to as a 'full length portrait of a lad', treated by the picture liner William Morrill (b. ca 1839), who sent Whistler his bill, 'To cutting 7 [inches] off top & piecing same bottom and lining a picture' on 29 March 1879; the bill was among Whistler's bankruptcy papers, collected by James Anderson Rose (1819-1890). 9
Frame
Unknown.
History
Provenance
Unknown.
Exhibitions
Unknown.
Bibliography
Catalogues Raisonnés
- Young, Andrew McLaren, Margaret F. MacDonald, Robin Spencer, and Hamish Miles, The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler, New Haven and London, 1980 (cat. no. 177) as 'Portrait of a Boy'.
Authored by Whistler
- None.
Catalogues 1855-1905
- None.
Newspapers 1855-1905
- 'American Artists in London, What they have done for Philadelphia', ' New York Herald, New York, 10 April 1876, p. 5.
Journals 1855-1905
- None.
Monographs
- None.
Books on Whistler
- None.
Books, General
- None.
Catalogues 1906-Present
- None.
Journals 1906-Present
- None.
Websites
- None.
Unpublished
- None.
Other
- None.
Notes:
1: YMSM 1980 [more] (cat. no. 177).
2: 'American Artists in London, What they have done for Philadelphia', New York Herald, New York, 10 April 1876, p. 5. Press cutting in GUL Whistler PC 2, p. 2.
3: Copies, GUW #13132, #03432.
4: [29 March 1879], GUW #08945.
5: YMSM 1980 [more] (cat. no. 177).
6: New York Herald, 10 April 1876; press cutting in GUL Whistler P/C II, p. 2.
7: Diary, 11 January 1877, copies, GUW #13132, #03432.
8: [29 March 1879], GUW #08945.
9: [29 March 1879], GUW #08945.