Artwork
Little Girl in White
Little Girl in White is an oil painting. It dates from 1895 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:possibly, but falsely, lower center left, with James McNeill Whistler's butterfly mark
About this work
Technique & Style
Little Girl in White is an oil painting on a canvas support. The work measures 36.5 cm in height and 26 cm in width. Classified as a portrait, the piece is attributed to an American artist active in the 19th century, with a probable creation date of circa 1895. The medium consists of oil paint applied to the canvas surface.
History & Provenance
Chester Dale acquired the painting on 30 January 1928, and upon his death in 1962 it passed to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.
Little Girl in White was likely created around 1895 by an unidentified American artist. It first enters a recorded ownership chain when it was purchased at auction around 1916 by Albert du Vannes of New York. Chester Dale acquired the painting on 30 January 1928, and upon his death in 1962 it passed to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., through his 1963 bequest, where it is held. The available sources do not record an accession number or any exhibition history for the work.
Context
Little Girl in White is attributed to an unidentified American painter of the late 19th century; definitive authorship remains unconfirmed. The oil-on-canvas portrait entered the National Gallery of Art through Chester Dale's bequest, following his 1928 acquisition, situating it within a significant American art patronage narrative. Its material and formal characteristics align with the portrait conventions of the period, though the provided sources offer no specific critical commentary on its reception.
Overview
The work titled Little Girl in White is an oil painting on canvas that portrays a young child gazing directly at the viewer. The figure is rendered with dark hair, a white collar, and a hat whose shadow is left loosely defined, while the surrounding background merges softly with the subject.
Subject & Meaning
The composition focuses on the child's face, emphasizing a calm, introspective expression. The minimal clothing, a white collar and light fabric, suggests modesty, while the muted palette and lack of elaborate detail keep attention on the youthful innocence conveyed by the direct gaze.
Artist & collection
