Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Little Blue Girl

Object Details

• Artist

  James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903)

• Previous custodian or owner

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

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Provenance

  From 1903 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from the artist in 1903 [1]

  From 1920

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

  Notes:

  [1] See Original Whistler List, Paintings, pg. 1, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives. According to Curatorial Remark 3, GD Guest, 1945, in the object record: "In reviewing the matter of the purchase of the painting [F1903.89], it transpires that a voucher covering its purchase was not included amongst the files sent from Detroit to Washington in 1920.

  But a search of the Whistler Letters reveals the fact that the oil painting, Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Little Blue Girl, as the artist just called it, was actually bought and paid for in 1894.

  A signed note from Mr. Whistler, dated 28 November 1894, acknowledges the receipt of a cheque to cover its cost and that of three drawings in pastel and water color (see Whistler Letters, no. 37).

  The painting, however, remained in Mr. Whistler's possession until his death, and Mr. Freer finally received it in August 1903.

  It is this date, and not the date of the cheque, which accounts for the entry in the original Purchase List and for the registration number, F1903.89, subsequently given to it...the frame designed for the painting was worked upon at some time between the date of actual purchase, 1894, and the date of the acquirement, 1903." See also, Curatorial Remark 4, David Park Curry, 1984, in the object record, as well as the Label Text Notes 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.

• Origin

  United States

• Credit Line

  Gift of Charles Lang Freer

• Type

  Painting

• Restrictions and Rights

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1900s, 1890s

• Name

  Whistler, James McNeill, Freer, Charles Lang

• Place

  United States

• Topic

  Art, American Art, Children

• Culture

  Americans

• Object Type

  Paintings