Trixie (Mrs. Beatrice Whistler)
James Abbott McNeill Whistler
Description
Beatrice Whistler
circa 1888–94
Drypoint
Second state of two (Kennedy 441)
Bequest of Margaret Watson Parker, 1954/1.411
This charming portrait depicts Whistler’s wife Beatrice (who signed herself Beatrix), whom he married in 1888; Whistler had a number of pet names for her, including Trixie, Luck, and Wam. Beatrix was considered a handsome woman and was Whistler’s junior by more than twenty years. This portrait shows her luminous eyes framed between the curling locks over her forehead and the cupped hand that supports her chin. A quiet intimacy suffuses this drypoint, which was most likely drawn during the early years of their marriage.
A private family image such as this will exist in only a handful of impressions, most likely made for family members and others within Whistler’s immediate circle; only about five of this one are known. Until recently, the plate was thought to depict Beatrix’s sister, Ethel Philip, and to exist in a single state; we now know there are two states—of which this is the second—indicating that Whistler worked on the plate on more than one occasion.
Subject Matter:
Thought originally to portray one of Whistler's sisters-in-law (Ethel Whibley), recent scholarship suggests that this may portray his wife, Beatrix, probably fairly early in their marriage (they were married in 1888).
Physical Description:
A seated woman in late 19th c. dress is shown against an undescribed dark background; she looks directly at the viewer and rests her chin on her right hand. At the lower left is a flower-like form that is the artist's "butterfly" signature.
Usage Rights:
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