Jem Bags (Recto); Drawing of Female Figure (Verso) (from Sketchbook)
1854–55
Medium
Graphite on paper
Dimensions
3 13/16 x 2 1/4 in. (9.7 x 5.7 cm)
Classification
Drawing
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Margaret C. Buell, Helen L. King, and Sybil A. Walk, 1970
Accession Number
1970.121.19
Tags
Art Historical Context
This intimate sketchbook page from 1854–55 captures the early artistic hand of James McNeill Wh, then a young American artist in his early twenties navigating the cusp of his career. On the recto, "Jem Bags" likely depicts a male figure—possibly a comrade or soldier, evoking the military themes hinted at in the tags—rendered with loose, expressive graphite lines. The verso features a quick study of a female figure showcasing Whistler's keen eye for human form amid everyday observation. Created on a tiny sheet of paper (just under 4 x 2 inches), these graphite drawings highlight the portabilit...
About the Artist
James McNeill Whistler · 1834–1903
James Abbott McNeill Whistler (1834-1903) was an American-born painter and printmaker who became a leading figure in the Aesthetic Movement and pioneer of Tonalism and Japonisme. He revolutionized art by championing "art for art's sake" and treating paintings as visual equivalents of musical compositions, titling works as "arrangements," "harmonies," and "nocturnes" to emphasize formal qualities o...