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Japanese Woman Painting a Fan (recto), c. 1872. Creator: James McNeill Whistler (American
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Japanese Woman Painting a Fan (recto), c. 1872. Creator: James McNeill Whistler (American
Japanese Woman Painting a Fan (recto), c. 1872. In 1872 Whistler was commissioned to contribute two designs to complete the decorative scheme of 35 monumental portrait mosaics installed in the south court of the South Kensington Museum in London (now the Victoria and Albert Museum). A celebration of the arts, the mosaics represented male artists throughout history; Whistlers two designs attempted to correct the gender imbalance. His subjects were a woman at a spindle and a Japanese woman painting a fan. Here, a brush is poised in the figures right hand--notice the sharp diagonal line above the orange butterfly--as she pauses to contemplate the fan she is painting. The commission went unfulfilled, and all that survives is this pastel study
Heritage Images features heritage image collections
Media ID 19622185
© Heritage Art/Heritage Images
1834 1903 James Mcneill Whistler James Mcneill Whistler American Tonalism
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This print captures a moment frozen in time, showcasing James McNeill Whistler's "Japanese Woman Painting a Fan (recto), c. 1872". The photograph is a testament to Whistler's attempt to challenge the gender imbalance prevalent in art history. Commissioned in 1872 for the South Kensington Museum in London, now known as the Victoria and Albert Museum, Whistler was tasked with contributing two designs to complete a decorative scheme of monumental portrait mosaics. These mosaics celebrated male artists throughout history, but Whistler sought to rectify this by featuring female subjects. In this particular image, we see a Japanese woman delicately painting a fan. Her right hand holds a brush poised above an orange butterfly, creating a sharp diagonal line that adds dynamism to the composition. As she pauses to contemplate her work-in-progress, one can't help but be captivated by her focused expression and artistic prowess. Unfortunately, the commission remained unfulfilled and only this pastel study survives today. Nevertheless, through this print from Heritage Art/Heritage Images at The Cleveland Museum of Art, we are granted access into Whistler's vision and his desire to challenge traditional notions of gender representation within art. With its rich black chalk and pastel tones highlighting both tonalism and cultural diversity, this artwork serves as an enduring reminder of Whistler's commitment to breaking barriers and celebrating women artists throughout history.
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