The Muff

1874

James Abbott McNeill Whistler American, 1834 - 1903

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About the Artwork

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Markings

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Provenance

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Exhibition History

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Published References

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Catalogue Raisonné

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Credit Line for Reproduction

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About the Artwork

Title The Muff

Artwork Date 1874

Artist James Abbott McNeill Whistler

Life Dates 1834 - 1903

Nationality Please note: Definitions for nationality may vary significantly, depending on chronology and world events. Some definitions include: Belonging to a people having a common origin based on a geography and/or descent and/or tradition and/or culture and/or religion and/or language, or sharing membership in a legally defined nation. American

Culture Please note: Cultures may be defined by the language, customs, religious beliefs, social norms, and material traits of a group. Unknown

Medium Drypoint on laid paper

Dimensions Plate: 5 × 3 inches (12.7 × 7.6 cm) Sheet: 6 3/8 inches × 4 inches (16.2 × 10.2 cm)

Classification Prints

Department Prints, Drawings & Photographs

Credit Museum Purchase, Dexter M. Ferry, Jr. Fund

Accession Number This unique number is assigned to an individual artwork as part of the cataloguing process at the time of entry into the permanent collection. Most frequently, accession numbers begin with the year in which the artwork entered the museum’s holdings. For example, 2008.3 refers to the year of acquisition and notes that it was the 3rd of that year. The DIA has a few additional systems—no longer assigned—that identify specific donors or museum patronage groups. 2021.12

Markings

Signed Signed, in plate, center right edge: [Butterfly]

Inscriptions Inscribed, in pencil, verso, bottom edge left: The Muff Inscribed, in pencil, verso, bottom edge right, running vertically: L U [reversed C] Inscribed, in pencil, verso, bottom edge: Fyo ix [circle with vertical bar] Inscribed, in pencil, verso, bottom edge: a46978 Inscribed, in pencil, verso, center: 13 Inscribed, in pencil, verso, center: 5574

Marks Stamped, in black, lower right, Sir William R. Drake (Lugt 2743) Watermark, bottom edge: [partial, illegible]

Provenance

Sir William Richard Drake [1817-1890] (London, England)

March 8-9, 1892, sold by (Christie, Manson & Woods, London, England),auction, lot 308, purchased by "Thomas" for £3.5.0. (possibly, the London art dealer Percy Thomas [1846-1922]). possibly, Harris Whittemore [1864-1927] (Naugatuck, Connecticut, USA). Harris Whittemore's great-granddaughter,Thyrza S. Whittemore [b. 1951], told the print dealer Susan Schulman that all or most Whistler prints owned by John Prince Elton were acquired from Harris Whittemore's collection

John Prince Elton [1868-1948] (Waterbury, Connecticut, USA)

by descent in the family of John Prince Elton

(David Tunick, Inc., New York, New York, USA)

2021-present, purchase by the Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit, Michigan, USA)

For more information on provenance and its important function in the museum, please visit:

Provenance page

Exhibition History

Please note: This section is empty

The exhibition history of a number of objects in our collection only begins after their acquisition by the museum, and may reflect an incomplete record.

We welcome your feedback for correction and/or improvement.

Suggest Feedback

Published References

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We regularly update our object record as new research and findings emerge, and we welcome your feedback for correction and/or improvement.

Suggest Feedback

Catalogue Raisoneé

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Credit Line for Reproduction

James Abbott McNeill Whistler, The Muff, 1874, drypoint on laid paper. Detroit Institute of Arts, Museum Purchase, Dexter M. Ferry, Jr. Fund, 2021.12.