Morning Glories

Object Details

• Artist

  James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903)

• Label

  While working to improve his facility with drawing and composition, Whistler made studies of classically draped models in Japanese attitudes, posing in front of a bamboo railing he designed especially for this purpose. The chalk drawings are studies in line, as the Six Projects (see F1902.138, F1903.175--F1903.179) are studies in color, for elaborate figure paintings Whistler was never able to complete, though he would use some of the themes in pastel drawings such as Morning Glories and Annabel Lee (F1905.129), which was completed years later. Whistler signed the drawings around 1874, placing his butterfly emblem beside each figure as though it were a Japanese artist’s seal.

• Provenance

  To 1903

  Sir William Burrell (1861-1958), Glasgow, Scotland, to 1903 [1]

  From 1903 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Sir William Burrell in 1903 [2]

  From 1920

  Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]

  Notes:

  [1] See Original Whistler List, Paintings, pg. 25, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

  [2] See note 1.

  [3] 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

  The Lost Symphony: Whistler & the Perfection of Art (January 16 to May 30, 2016)

  Chinamania (2010) (August 7, 2010 to August 7, 2011)

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

  Whistler & Japan (May 14, 1995 to January 1, 1996)

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

  Exposition des Oeuvres de James McNeill Whistler (May 1905)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Sir William Burrell (1861-1958) (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

  1870s

• Name

  Freer, Charles Lang, Burrell, William

• Place

  United States

• Topic

  Water, Charles Lang Freer collection, Art, American Art, Balconies, Flowers, Rivers, Woman

• Culture

  Americans

• Object Type

  Drawings