Images(2)

The Chelsea Girl

Artist James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834 - 1903)

Date1884

MediumOil on canvas

Dimensions65 × 35 in. (165.1 × 88.9 cm)
Framed: 78 1/4 × 48 1/4 × 2 5/8 in.

ClassificationsPainting

Credit LineCrystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas, 2014.41

Accession number 2014.41

On View

On view

Provenancegiven by the Artist to Alexander J. Cassatt [1839-1906], Philadelphia, PA, 1886; by descent to Elsie Cassatt Stewart [1875-1931] (his daughter), 1906; to Doris Stewart Wear [1910-2003] (her daughter), Penllyn, PA and Ceciltown, MD, by 1931; given to the children of Doris Stewart Wear and William Potter Wear, Cecilton, MD, by 1960; to Priscilla Wear Ellsworth, New York, NY, by 1993; to (Hirschl & Adler Galleries, New York, NY), 1999; purchased by Melnyk Collection, 1999; to (Hirschl & Adler Galleries, New York, NY); purchased by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR, 2014
Label TextBorn in Massachusetts, raised in St. Petersburg, trained as an artist in Paris, and eventually living most of his life in London, James McNeill Whistler was a true cosmopolitan. He often painted his friends and upper-class patrons, so this painting is rather unusual. What drew Whistler to paint this unnamed working-class girl? Something about her bold pose and the glint in her eyes suggests the artist found inspiration in her spirited personality and wanted to express her energy in his sketchy brushwork.

Nacido en Massachussets, criado en San Petesburgo, educado como artista en París, y eventualmente ubicado en Londres, donde residió la mayor parte de su vida, James McNeill Whistler, fue un verdadero cosmopolita. Frecuentemente pintaba retratos de sus amigos y mecenas de la clase alta, así que esta pintura es poco usual. ¿Qué llevó a Whistler a pintar a esta joven desconocida de la clase trabajadora? Algo sobre su atrevida pose, y el brillo en su mirada, sugiera que el artista halló inspiración en su vivaz personalidad y deseaba expresar esta energía con sus amplias pinceladas.