The Piano |  Freer Gallery of Art (1904.58) | |
| Number: | 144 | |
| Date: | 1875-1877 | |
| Medium: | drypoint and open bite | |
| Size: | 236 x 160 mm | |
| Signed: | butterfly at left (3-final) | |
| Inscribed: | no | |
| Set/Publication: | 'Cancelled Plates', 1879 | |
| No. of States: | 7 | |
| Known impressions: | 26 | |
| Catalogues: | K.141; M.139; W.117 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (26) | ||
KEYWORD
interior, model, music, piano, woman seated.
TITLE
There are several minor variations in the title, as follows:
'The piano' (1870s, Whistler). 2
'Girl at the piano - Miss Greaves' (1875, Whistler). 3
'The Piano' (1886, Frederick Wedmore (1844-1921)). 4
'At the Piano // Tilly Greaves' (1890/1892, Beatrice Whistler (1857-1896)). 5
'The Piano' (1909, Howard Mansfield (1849-1938)). 6
'The Piano' is Whistler's original title and that generally accepted by later cataloguers.
'The piano' (1870s, Whistler). 2
'Girl at the piano - Miss Greaves' (1875, Whistler). 3
'The Piano' (1886, Frederick Wedmore (1844-1921)). 4
'At the Piano // Tilly Greaves' (1890/1892, Beatrice Whistler (1857-1896)). 5
'The Piano' (1909, Howard Mansfield (1849-1938)). 6
'The Piano' is Whistler's original title and that generally accepted by later cataloguers.
DESCRIPTION
A young woman sits facing to the left, playing a piano. Her fair hair is pulled up into a bun and tied with black ribbons. She is wearing a dark, glossy dress with close fitting bodice, and full skirt gathered in at the waist. There are shadows on the walls behind her.
SITTER
Alice Fay Greaves (b. 1852). Whistler identified the sitter as 'Girl at the piano - Miss Greaves'. 7
Whistler made two drawings of her as studies for this drypoint, both of which are known as At the Piano. One was inscribed on the verso, 'This drawing by J. McN. Whistler was done in chalk as a study for the drypoint 'The Piano' / Ernest G. Brown' (that is, Ernest George Brown (1853/1854-1915) of the Fine Art Society). 8 The other drawing is now in the Art Institute of Chicago. 9
Whistler made two drawings of her as studies for this drypoint, both of which are known as At the Piano. One was inscribed on the verso, 'This drawing by J. McN. Whistler was done in chalk as a study for the drypoint 'The Piano' / Ernest G. Brown' (that is, Ernest George Brown (1853/1854-1915) of the Fine Art Society). 8 The other drawing is now in the Art Institute of Chicago. 9
7: Whistler to W. C. Alexander, [March/April 1875], GUW #07573.
8: At the piano m0538 (private collection).
9: At the piano m0539.
DISCUSSION
This is one of several images of people playing music (The Music Room 039, J. Becquet, Sculptor 062, The Guitar Player (M.W. Ridley) 124 and Ross Winans 072).