UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

baby, landscape, leisure, people, Punch and Judy, sculpture, statue, tree, woman seated.

Whistler's original title is not known and there is only one later title (in two languages) recorded, as follows:


'Polichinelle. Jardin du Luxembourg' (1905, Paris). 3
'Polichinelle, Luxembourg Gardens' (1906, Rotterdam). 4


The preferred title is the French, 'Polichinelle, Jardin du Luxembourg', and was almost certainly provided by Rosalind Birnie Philip (1873-1958). The other version is half English - a full English translation would be, 'Punch and Judy Show, Luxembourg Gardens'.

A view of an open grassy space with trees in full leaf across the background. In the middle distance, to left, are three women, one with a baby, sitting on chairs (there are some more chairs stacked to their left, behind them). Just to right of centre are two women sitting on chairs under a statue on a plinth. In the distance are crowds of people, some watching a Punch-and-Judy show. Beyond the trees, at left, is a building in shadow.

The Luxembourg Gardens (Jardin du Luxembourg) is a public park in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, France. It was not far from Whistler's house at 110 rue du Bac. Whistler made several etchings of the gardens, including Under the Statue, Luxembourg Gardens 464, The Little Terrace, Luxembourg Gardens, No. 2 444, Balustrade, Luxembourg Gardens 465, Bébés, Jardin du Luxembourg 463 and The Pantheon from the Terrace, Luxembourg Gardens 473.

Conversation under the Statue, Luxembourg Gardens c069, lithograph, 1893, The Hunterian, University of Glasgow (49658).

He also drew three lithographs there in November 1893, Conversation under the Statue, Luxembourg Gardens c069, The Steps, Luxembourg c068 and The Pantheon, from the terrace of the Luxembourg Gardens c070, although, as he complained to T. R. Way, 'The three little Luxembourg gardens I could have done more with under better conditions - ' 5 In addition Whistler made a slight pencil sketch on the back of a letter on 25 March 1892 (The Terrace, Luxembourg m1332). He followed up with two more lithographs, Nursemaids: 'Les Bonnes du Luxembourg' c081 and The Terrace, Luxembourg c087, in 1894. Two later drawings on lithographic paper, Seated woman in Luxembourg Gardens m1401 and Statue in Luxembourg Gardens m1400, were never transferred to stone or printed. 6