Group of four men

Object Details

• Artist

  James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903)

• Label

  The younger man in the center of this composition seems to be holding forth while an older companion, in the cap and neckerchief of a laborer, gives him undivided attention. The figure with a cap is similar to men that appear in Whistler's Rhine river-boat drawings. Braggadocio and beer were significant components of student life. The Pennells reported that once Whistler returned to Paris with tales of his adventures, his artist friends saluted him at the Cafe Moliere with loud songs:

  Car il n'est pas mort, larifla! fla! fla!

  Non, c'est qu'il dort.

  Pour le reveiler, trinquons nos verres!

  Pour le reveiler, trinquons encore!

• Provenance

  Seymour Haden (1818-1910), London [1]

  To 1898

  H. Wunderlich & Co., New York to 1898 [2]

  From 1898 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from H. Wunderlich & Co., through Thomas Wilmer Dewing (1851-1938), in November 1898 [3]

  From 1920

  Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [4]

  Notes:

  [1] See Original Whistler List, Haden Collection Drawings, pg. 2, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

  [2] See Voucher No. 20, November 1898, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

  [3] See note 2.

  [4] 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

• Previous custodian or owner

  Francis Seymour Haden (1818-1910)

  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

• Restrictions and Rights

  CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1850s

• Name

  Freer, Charles Lang, Haden, Seymour, H. Wunderlich & Co.

• Place

  United States

• Topic

  Charles Lang Freer collection, Art, American Art, Men

• Culture

  Americans

• Object Type

  Drawings