Binding the Hair |  Art Institute of Chicago (1927.5984) | |
| Number: | 334 | |
| Date: | 1887 | |
| Medium: | etching and drypoint | |
| Size: | 133 x 95 mm | |
| Signed: | butterfly at lower left | |
| Inscribed: | no | |
| Set/Publication: | no | |
| No. of States: | 3 | |
| Known impressions: | 4 | |
| Catalogues: | K.344; M.342 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (4) | ||
KEYWORD
hair, nude, toilet, woman standing.
TITLE
Only one title is known, as in these examples:
'Binding the hair' (1880s, Whistler). 1
'Binding the Hair' (1889, Whistler). 2
'Binding the Hair' (1902, Edward Guthrie Kennedy (1849-1932)). 3
'Binding the hair' (1880s, Whistler). 1
'Binding the Hair' (1889, Whistler). 2
'Binding the Hair' (1902, Edward Guthrie Kennedy (1849-1932)). 3
DESCRIPTION
A nude woman stands facing toward the right, her hands upraised, arranging her hair. The light is from front right, and her shadow falls back and to left. There is some shading in the background.
SITTER
The model has not been identified.
DISCUSSION
This is one of several studies of nudes in the studio, such as Resting by the Stove 372 and 'Venus' (Nettie Pettigrew) 363. A comparable pose is seen in drawings by Whistler such as r.: A nude pulling a black robe over her head; v.: Cockerel m1382 and r.: A nude model adjusting her hair; v.: A woman in a toga m1383, and by Beatrice Whistler (1857-1896), including A nude adjusting her hair and A partially draped nude adjusting her hair. 4
4: Hunterian Art Gallery 46188, 46540, 46541; see http://www.huntsearch.gla.ac.uk.