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Description: | Royal Watermark: a crown.
Inscr. on verso: 'Found in W's copy of The Whirlwind 15 Nov 1890' CRE WHISTLER, James McNeill; (American; 1834-1903) CRE WHISTLER, Beatrix; (English; 1857-1896) This drawing was found in a copy of an 1890 magazine, 'The Whirlwind' from Whistler's collection. It is not certain whether it was drawn by Whistler or Beatrix Whistler. She often used a broad nib, such as the one used here, but it is by no means exceptional in Whistler's work. This sketch, with its element of caricature, also resembles some of Beatrix Whistler's costume studies (GLAHA 46533, 46581). However, it is also rather like drawings of Whistler's, for example 'The Prediction' M1192 (Private Collection). This sketch demonstrates the similarities of their styles in subjects of mutual interest.
The diary of Beatrix Whistler's first husband, E. W. Godwin (1833-1886), architect and designer, records that she studied costume and dress from prints in the British Museum between 1870-1882 (Godwin Diary, Victoria and Albert Museum). Sometimes she studied with Godwin, but in 1879 she was paid to assist the history painter Richard Caton Woodville in his costume research (see MacDonald, Margaret F., 'Beatrice Whistler: Artist and Designer', Glasgow: Hunterian Art Gallery, 1997, pp. 23-24). Although her sketches have not survived, drawings like this illustrate her interest in costume.
Godwin designed costumes and was an enthusiastic supporter of the dress reform movement, which campaigned against restrictive fashions like corsets and heavy clothes. Her second husband, Whistler, often designed his sitter's outfits.
Birnie Philip Bequest, 1958 | License: | http://www.hmag.gla.ac.uk/spirit/rights/ | Publisher: | Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery, University of Glasgow | Rights holder: | Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery, University of Glasgow | Subjects: | BEATRIX WHISTLER : CARICATURE : WOMAN : COSTUME STUDY : WHISTLER CENTENARY : DRESS : | Source: | Hunterian Museum | Creator: | Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery, University of Glasgow | Identifier: | http://www.huntsearch.gla.ac.uk/cgi-bin/... | Language: | en-GB | Go to resource |
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