Provenance
Charles J. Hanson (the artist's son) [Witt Library archives]. Sold by E. Parsons, London, 1924 [Witt Library archives]. Sold by Albert Roullier Gallery, Chicago, to Walter S. Brewster (1872-1954), Chicago, December 20, 1928 [AIC archives, Collection records list]; given to the Art Institute, February 1933.
Accession Number
113084
Medium
Pen and brown ink on cream laid paper
Dimensions
17.8 × 11.4 cm (7 1/16 × 4 1/2 in.)
Classification
pen and ink drawings
Credit Line
Gift of Walter S. Brewster
Background & Context
Background Story
James McNeill Whistler's Portrait of Miss Maud Franklin (1883/1888) is a pen and brown ink drawing on cream laid paper. Maud Franklin was Whistler's model and mistress, and she appears in many of his most important works. This portrait captures her with a combination of intimacy and refinement: the pen lines define her features with economy and grace, capturing both her physical beauty and her character. The cream laid paper provides a warm, textured ground. Whistler's portraits of Maud Franklin are among the most personal works of his career, documents of a relationship that lasted for many years. This drawing belongs to the period when Whistler was at the height of his fame, producing portraits and landscapes that established him as a leading figure in the international avant-garde. The pen and brown ink technique is characteristic of Whistler's mature drawing style, the line flowing with the confidence and economy that distinguish his finest works on paper.
Cultural Impact
Whistler's portraits of Maud Franklin document one of the most important personal relationships of his life and reveal a more intimate side of the artist known for his public flamboyance.
Why It Matters
This pen portrait of Maud Franklin captures the grace and character of Whistler's model and companion, the economical line conveying both physical presence and personal intimacy.
