Provenance
The artist to John Ross Key [Chicago Times Herald 1896]. Charles Deering (1852–1927), Chicago [stamp (Lugt 516) verso, lower right, in blue]; by descent to his daughters, Mrs. Chauncey McCormick (née Marion Deering; 1886–1965), Chicago and Mrs. Richard Ely Danielson (née Barbara Deering; 1885–1957), Chicago; given to the Art Institute of Chicago, 1927.
Accession Number
50747
Medium
Pen and black ink over graphite on cream wove paper
Dimensions
14.1 × 7.3 cm (5 9/16 × 2 7/8 in.)
Classification
pen and ink drawings
Credit Line
The Charles Deering Collection
Background & Context
Background Story
James McNeill Whistler's Lancer (1854/55) is a pen and black ink drawing over graphite on cream wove paper, showing a soldier of the lancer regiment in his distinctive uniform with its characteristic lance and headgear. This drawing belongs to the same series of military figure studies as Soldier with Lance and Hussar, all dating from the early period of Whistler's career. The pen and ink technique is rapid and assured, the lines defining the figure and his uniform with an economy that already shows the young artist's gift for capturing the essential character of a subject. The graphite underdrawing provides an initial structure. The cream wove paper provides a warm ground. These military studies may have been made from life, perhaps drawn from soldiers Whistler observed on the streets of Paris or at military encampments. They show his sharp eye for character and his ability to capture the distinctive details of uniform and posture with remarkable efficiency.
Cultural Impact
Whistler's military studies demonstrate the observational skill that underlay his later, more refined work, capturing the character of 19th-century soldiers with documentary precision.
Why It Matters
This pen drawing of a lancer captures the distinctive uniform and posture of the soldier with remarkable economy, the young Whistler's confident line already showing the gifts of the master.
