Portrait Study: Mrs. Philip, No. 4 [Studies of the Philips] - James McNeill Whistler

The Charles Deering Collection

"Portrait Study: Mrs. Philip, No. 4 [Studies of the Philips]" by James McNeill Whistler (1897) Transfer lithograph in black, printed over counterproof of lithograph in black, on ivory laid paper.

Commentary

"Portrait Study: Mrs. Philip, No. 4 [Studies of the Philips]" by James McNeill Whistler (1897) invites a close look at how form and feeling work together. The print-based method rewards close viewing, where line, texture, and contrast do most of the expressive wo rk. Themes to notice include transfer lithograph. This piece is held in the source collection's Prints and Drawings collection. James McNeill Whistler is the artist behind this work. A useful anchor for reading the piece: James McNeill Whistler American, 1834-1903. The work is cataloged within a United States cultural context. How to look at this work: It is cataloged as transfer lithograph, which gives a clue to how the museum frames the object. Its medium (Transfer lithograph in black, printed over counterproof of lithograph in black, on ivory laid paper) affects texture, durability, and how detail reads at different distances. Its listed dimensions (Image: 15.7 × 12.4 cm (6 3/16 × 4 15/16 in.); With counterproof and unfinished sketch: 22 × 29.8 cm (8 11/16 × 11 3/4 in.); Sheet: 22 × 35.5 cm (8 11/16 × 14 in.)) suggest how intimate or monumental it may feel in person. Subject cues from the catalog include transfer lithograph. Compare this reading with the museum record at the source collection: https://www.artic.edu/artworks/50722

Sources: Art Institute of Chicago; Art Institute of Chicago / Public Records; Art Institute of Chicago Collection Data