Mrs or Miss McNay

1882

James McNeill Whistler

Associated Names
James McNeill Whistler

Artist, American, 1834 - 1903

The image depicts a person's upper body in a reclined position. The individual's face is in a side profile with closed eyes and a relaxed expression. The hair is loosely drawn to show texture and volume. The clothing is sketchily indicated with lines resembling textured fabric. The artwork has minimal details and a plain background of the same color as the paper, with no other objects present.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    pen and brown ink on folded wove paper

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Dimensions

    sheet: 22.3 × 17.7 cm (8 3/4 × 6 15/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1943.3.8804

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    MacDonald 1995, no. 868

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

S.H. Nazeby Harrington (L.1348), Lessing Julius Rosenwald [1891-1971], Philadelphia, (Lugt 1760b); gift to National Gallery of Art, 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

1991

  • Wadley, Nicholas. Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Drawing. London, 1991: no. 84b.

1995

  • MacDonald, Margaret F. James McNeill Whistler: Drawings, Pastels and Watercolours: A Catalogue Raisonné. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press, 1995, no. 868.

Inscriptions

upper center in graphite: butterfly signature; lower right verso in graphite: Sketch by J. McNeil Whistler at / Mrs. McNay's, Upper Groove, S.Norwood / 14 March 1882; lower left cross in graphite: Upper Grove/ 14 March 82; upper center in graphite: 46; lower left in graphite: a58639/ not deciphered; lower right in graphite: 3543

Markings

upper center verso in black ink: LRJ (Lessing J. Rosenwald) stamp; upper center verso in black ink: HNH (S.H. Nazeby Harrington) stamp; lower left verso in black ink: NGA/LJR stamp

Wikidata ID

Q64580646

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