Vénus Astarté

Maker(s)
Artist: James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903)
Historical period(s)
1888/1890
Medium
Chalk and pastel on brown paper
Dimensions
H x W: 27.5 x 18.4 cm (10 13/16 x 7 1/4 in)
Geography
United States
Credit Line
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art
Accession Number
F1904.65a-c
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Drawing
Type

Drawing

Keywords
United States, woman
Provenance

To 1904
La Societe des Beaux-Arts, Glasgow , to 1904 [1]

From 1904 to 1919
Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from La Societe des Beaux-Arts in 1904 [2]

From 1920
Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]

Notes:

[1] See Original Whistler List, Paintings, pg. 27, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

[2] See note 1.

[3] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

La Societe des Beaux-Arts (C.L. Freer source)
Charles Lang Freer 1854-1919

Label

This drawing, which depicts the Greco-Roman goddess of love & beauty, was exhibited in Whistler's time as The Birth of Venus and Venus Rising from the Sea. The pose and proportions suggest Whistler's interest in classical sculpture, and the use of drapery to frame the model's head also occurs in Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Little Blue Girl (F1903.89).

Published References
  • Denys Sutton. James McNeill Whistler: Paintings, Etchings, Pastels & Watercolours. London, 1966. pl. 118.
  • Margaret F. MacDonald. James McNeill Whistler: Drawings, Pastels, and Watercolours : A Catalogue Raisonné. New Haven, 1995. .
  • Burns A. Stubbs. James McNeill Whistler: A Biographical Outline Illustrated from the Collections of the Freer Gallery of Art. vol. 1, no. 4 Washington, 1950. pl. 18.
  • Oswald Sickert. The oil paintings of Whistler. vol. 30, no. 127 London, October 15, 1903. p. 15.
  • Charles Henry Caffin. The Art of James McNeill Whistler: Lecture at the Detroit Museum of Art. Detroit, Friday, April 23, 1909. p. 34.
  • Elisabeth Luther Cary. The Works of James McNeill Whistler: A Study., 1st ed. New York, 1907. cat. 263, p. 197.
  • David Park Curry. James McNeill Whistler at the Freer Gallery of Art. Washington and New York, 1984. p. 278, pl. 281.
Collection Area(s)
American Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
SI Usage Statement

Usage Conditions Apply

There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery welcome information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

citation | Save this image How to download an image | Request Permission | Terms of Use