Study for "Toning the Bell"

c. 1874

Walter Shirlaw

Associated Names
Walter Shirlaw

Artist, American, 1838 - 1909

The image shows a partial body sketch of an older man playing the violin. The man is positioned facing slightly to the left with his upper body visible, and he holds a violin under his chin. His facial features are depicted with a wide-open mouth and a focused expression, and he has short hair. He wears a loose-fitting garment suggested by sketch lines. The man's hand is holding the violin bow, showcasing a dynamic pose as part of his performance. The background is plain.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Florence Heywood, Paris, France; Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, 1968; acquired 2015 by the National Gallery of Art

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1975

  • American Art in the Making: Preparatory Studies for Masterpieces of American Painting, 1800-1900, Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, 1975-1977, p. 58, fig. 82, repro

Bibliography

1983

  • Simmons, Linda Crocker and with the assistance of Adrianne J. Humphrey, et al. American Drawings, Watercolors, Pastels, and Collages in the Collection of the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Washington, DC: Corcoran Gallery of Art, 1983: p. 84, no. 529.

Inscriptions

lower left in graphite: WS; lower right verso in graphite by unknown hand: #40

Watermarks

HB

Wikidata ID

Q64634400

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