The Garden Porch

Object Details

• Artist

  James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903)

• Description

  Drawing of figures outside a garden porch.

• Signatures

  Signed with the Butterfly on the drawing and with the Butterfly in pencil on the print.

• Edition/State

  One impression.

• Label

  Whistler's sister-in-law, Rosalind Birnie Philip, described this lithograph as a view of her sisters Beatrix (Whistler's wife) and Ethel in the garden at 110 rue du Bac. She did not identify the third figure, partially hidden by the shrubbery shielding the rear entrance to the house, but it seems to be either a servant or Rosalind herself. Beatrix designed the arched trellis; Whistler designed the plant holder.

• Provenance

  From at least 1906 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from the artist by at least 1906 [1]

  From 1920

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

  Notes:

  [1] See Original Whistler List, Lithographs, pg. 25, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives. Also, according to Curatorial Remark 2, G.D.G., 1921, in the object record: "No record existing of the time of purchase, the print was given a registration number for 1906, the year of the printed Inventory."

  [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

  Whistler in Paris: Lithographs from the Belle Epoque, 1891-1896 (February 21 to August 15, 2004)

• 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

  Print

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1890s

• Name

  Whistler, James McNeill, Freer, Charles Lang

• Place

  United States

• Topic

  Charles Lang Freer collection, Art, Architecture, American Art, Portraits, Family, Gardens

• Culture

  Americans

• Object Type

  Prints