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Agnes

Impression: Freer Gallery of Art
Freer Gallery of Art
(1892.9)
Number: 146
Date: 1875/1878
Medium: drypoint
Size: 229 x 154 mm
Signed: no
Inscribed: no
Set/Publication: 'Cancelled Plates', 1879
No. of States: 3
Known impressions: 22
Catalogues: K.134; M.132; W.106
Impressions taken from this plate  (22)

KEYWORD

portrait, sewing, woman seated.

TITLE

Only one title is known, as in the following examples:

'Agnes' (1883/1885, Whistler). 1
'Agnes' (1886, Frederick Wedmore (1844-1921)). 2

1: Written on .

2: Wedmore 1886 A[more] (cat. no. 106).

DESCRIPTION

A woman sits facing front, her head slightly tilted to right, her hands in her lap. She is either sewing or gathering in the top edge of some material - possibly a bag - in both hands. She wears a close-fitting dark blouse with slightly puffed sleeves, and a light coloured skirt; her hair is dark, cut in a fringe over her forehead. There is shading in the background, about the head.

SITTER

Bridget Agnes Hiffernan (1844/1845-after 1919); she was the sister of Joanna Hiffernan (b. ca 1843). She also appeared in Brushing the Hair 094. She appears to have helped Jo in bringing up Whistler's son Charles James Whistler Hanson (1870-1935). She was also the mistress and later wife of Charles James Singleton, Jr (1841-1918), who was a patron of Whistler's and apparently a close friend.