Design for a Decorated Fan

Object Details

• Artist

  James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903)

• Description

  A nude figure, dancing, fitted to the shape of a spoke in a folding fan.

• Signatures

  Red butterfly, to left of figure, with long tail ending with a graphite barb

• Inscriptions

  Verso inscribed by Freer: Sketch for Fan / Given to me by Mr Whistler / August 1899 / CLF

• Paper/Support

  On laid paper with the chain lines running vertically. There are 2.6 cm between chain lines and eight laid lines per cm.

• Provenance

  From 1899 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), given by the artist in 1899 [1]

  From 1920

  Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [2]

  Notes:

  [1] See List of Whistler Paintings, etc., Transferred to the Smithsonian Institution, January 3, 1921, pg. 2, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives. The Registration number for this object was changed to correspond with the date of gift. On the back of the sketch, a note in Mr. Freer's handwriting states: "Sketch for Fan. Given to me by Mr. Whistler, August 1899. C.L.F." (according to Curatorial Remark 2 in the object record).

  [2] 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

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

• Previous custodian or owner

  James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903) (C.L. Freer source)

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  United States

• Credit Line

  Gift of Charles Lang Freer

• Type

  Drawing

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1890s

• Name

  Whistler, James McNeill, Freer, Charles Lang

• Place

  United States

• Topic

  Fans, Charles Lang Freer collection, Art, American Art, Iron oxide red

• Culture

  Americans

• Object Type

  Drawings