Writing on the Wall

Object Details

• Artist

  James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903)

• Description

  Standing figure of a naked young woman in three-quarters back view, her hand extended toward a wall.

• Signatures

  The Butterfly, at the lower right.

• Label

  Charles Lang Freer was one of the first collectors to recognize the importance and beauty of Whistler's late nudes. Freer first met Whistler in London, in March 1890. The two got on well, and Whistler sold Freer a recent pastel nude. It was the second Whistler drawing to enter Freer's collection, and the first pastel. During the 1890s, most of the Whistler drawings and oil paintings that Freer acquired were recent work, many of them female nudes.

• Provenance

  From 1902 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from the artist in 1902 [1]

  From 1920

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

  Notes:

  [1] See Original Whistler List, Paintings, pg. 24, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

  [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's Nudes (April 21, 2002 to January 5, 2003)

  James McNeill Whistler at the Freer Gallery of Art—Whistler and the Figure (May 11, 1984 to December 16, 1984)

  Whistler Pastels and Water Colors (July 1 to July 31, 1974)

  Centennial Exhibition, Galleries 10 and 11 (February 25, 1956 to November 3, 1959)

  Untitled Exhibition, Whistler Paintings and Drawings (December 14, 1955 to February 25, 1956)

  Untitled Exhibition, Works of Whistler (September 22, 1947 to April 11, 1955)

  Untitled Exhibition, Whistler Watercolors, Oil Paintings, and Pastels (January 20, 1944 to October 13, 1947)

  Whistler Pastels and Drawings, Re-arranged and some additions (January 7, 1924 to January 20, 1944)

  American Paintings, Pastels, and Water Colors, and Drawings. J.A.McN. Whistler (May 2, 1923 to January 7, 1924)

  Inaugural Exhibition, Minneapolis Institute of Arts (January 7 to February 7, 1915)

  Exposition des Oeuvres de James McNeill Whistler (May 1905)

  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

  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

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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, American Art, Woman

• Culture

  Americans

• Object Type

  Drawings