The Muff

c. 1873

James McNeill Whistler

Associated Names
James McNeill Whistler

Artist, American, 1834 - 1903

The image depicts a side profile of a woman shown from the waist up. She is seated and turned slightly toward the right, showing her profile. Her facial features are delicately drawn, with a soft expression and eyes gazing forward. Her hair is elaborately styled, likely pinned up, with fluid, sketchy lines. She is dressed in an elegant garment with a high collar and possibly a fur wrap or muff, indicated by the texture and shading around her arms. There are no visible pieces of jewelry or objects held. The background is filled with dense, crosshatched lines, creating a textured and somewhat abstract effect.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    etching and drypoint on wove paper

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Dimensions

    plate (cut to plate mark): 12.5 × 7.4 cm (4 15/16 × 2 15/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1943.3.8469

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    MacDonald 2012, no. 131, state iv/iv

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

(Knoedler & Co.). Lessing Julius Rosenwald [1891-1971], Philadelphia, (Lugt 1760b-c); gift to NGA, 1943.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1931

  • Etchings, Lithographs, Original Drawings, and Autograph Letters by James A. McNeill Whistler, The Free Library of Philadelphia, 1931.

Bibliography

1910

  • Kennedy, Edward G. The Etched Work of Whistler. New York: Grolier Club, 1910, no. 113, iii/iii.

2012

  • MacDonald, Margaret F., Grischka Petri, Joanna Meacock.James McNeill Whistler: The Etchings, a catalogue raisonné. University of Glasgow on-line website at http://etchings.arts.gla.ac.uk. University of Glasgow, 2012: no. 131, state iv/iv.

Inscriptions

[Whistler's butterfly signature] lower left tab, graphite, artist's hand. "[illeg.] / "The Muff" / drypoint" verso, lower left sheet, graphite, artist's hand. "RHC" verso, lower center sheet, graphite, unknown hand. "mk 30662" verso, lower right sheet, graphite, unknown hand.

Markings

"LRJ" verso, black stamped ink, stamped twice. "National Gallery of Art" verso, black stamped ink.

Watermarks

None.

Wikidata ID

Q65021886

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