Skip to Content
Today Open today 10–11 members | 11–8 public

Study of a Girl's Head and Shoulders

A work made of oil on panel.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

Image actions

  • A work made of oil on panel.

Date:

1896–97

Artist:

James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903)

About this artwork

In addition to large-scale portraits, James McNeill Whistler created small-scale likenesses, often on wood panel, as in this painting of a young sitter. A well-known beauty, Olga Caracciolo lived in Dieppe, France, likely where this work was executed, and later married the photographer Adolf de Meyer. Rather than a swift, abbreviated study for a larger composition, Whistler considered a work such as this to be a satisfying aesthetic whole. Indeed, small paintings serve as invitations for an intimate viewing experience and contemplation of the artist’s harmonies of color and form.

Status

On View, Gallery 176

Department

Arts of the Americas

Artist

James McNeill Whistler

Title

Study of a Girl's Head and Shoulders

Place

United States (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

c. 1896–1897

Medium

Oil on panel

Inscriptions

Signed with the Butterfly

Dimensions

15.5 × 9.5 cm (6 1/8 × 3 3/4 in.)

Credit Line

Walter S. Brewster Collection

Reference Number

1933.212

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/14317/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

Share

Sign up for our enewsletter to receive updates.

Learn more

Image actions

Share