The Blue Dress

Object Details

• Artist

  James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903)

• Description

  A woman in a long-trained, blue and white gown, stands turned from the observer, a fan in her hand.

  Signature near right edge. Framed.

• Signatures

  Signature: the Butterfly, near right edge.

• Provenance

  To 1892

  H. Wunderlich & Co., New York to 1892 [1]

  From 1892 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from H. Wunderlich & Co. in 1892 [2]

  From 1920

  Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]

  Notes:

  [1] See Original Whistler List, Paintings, pg. 21, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

  [2] See note 1.

  [3] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Ruffled Feathers: Creating Whistler's Peacock Room (July 13, 2024 to January 21, 2027)

  Peacock Room REMIX: Darren Waterston's "Filthy Lucre" (May 16, 2015 to June 4, 2017)

  James McNeill Whistler at the Freer Gallery of Art: Whistler as Artist (May 11, 1984 to December 5, 1984)

  American Paintings (April 15, 1975 to December 5, 1975)

  Oil Paintings, Water Colors, Pastels and Drawings: Memorial Exhibition of the Works of Mr. J. McNeill Whistler (February 23 to March 22, 1904)

• Previous custodian or owner

  H. Wunderlich & Co. (1874-1912) (C.L. Freer source)

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  United States

• Credit Line

  Gift of Charles Lang Freer

• Type

  Drawing

• On View

  Freer Gallery 11: Ruffled Feathers: Creating Whistler's Peacock Room

• Restrictions and Rights

  CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1870s

• Name

  Freer, Charles Lang, H. Wunderlich & Co.

• Place

  United States

• Topic

  Fans, Charles Lang Freer collection, Art, American Art

• Culture

  Americans

• Object Type

  Drawings

• On View

  Yes