As part of a series exploring the presence and absence of women in art, Patrycja Krysinska explores the life and work of Beatrix Whistler.
It’s hard to miss the life-size portrait of a woman in red when visiting the Hunterian Art Gallery. James McNeill Whistler not only successfully captured the effects of light as he intended, but also the captivating presence of his sitter.
So, who was this woman?
‘She was very handsome and looked very French. She had a delightful devil-may-care look in her eyes, which was very fascinating.’
Louise Jopling
Often overshadowed by her husbands, Beatrix Whistler was a talented artist and designer in her own right and was certainly much more than the subject of a Whistler painting.
She studied art with her father, a Scottish sculptor, and Edward William Godwin, an architect and designer who was part of the Aesthetic Movement.
Beatrix married and worked alongside Godwin as a designer of furniture panels, wallpapers and tiles.
Godwin’s ties to the Aesthetic Movement meant that Beatrix became part of an elite circle which included the likes of Oscar Wilder and James McNeill Whistler. Later, she posed for Whistler and became one of his informal pupils.
After an illness, Godwin passed away in 1886. Two years later, Beatrix married Whistler. She continued to learn from him, and she even studied art in Paris where they lived for some time.
However, Beatrix’s career was short. Unfortunately, she passed away due to cancer in 1896.
The Hunterian holds a substantial amount of her artwork which is still being explored today.
Birds, Flowers and Berries
After Beatrix’s death, Rosalind Birnie Philip, her sister, began to manage Whistler’s estate and studio. She subsequently donated this to The Hunterian after the artist’s death.
This included over 30 studies of birds, several birdcage designs and studies of flowers and berries by Beatrix.
As simple as they may sound, Beatrix worked extensively on studies of the world around her. She was an avid bird collector and gardner which is showcased across her body of work.
While little has been published on Beatrix’s work, her studies offer a glimpse into her artistic process and, more interestingly, add to our knowledge of the materials used by women artists.
Predominantly, Beatrix worked with oil paint on panel and card or ink on paper. Many of her studies use both sides of the page, with some earlier studies using the reverse side of unfinished wallpaper patterns for sketching.
Additionally, Beatrix often combined multiple subjects into one study. The pen drawing below hides a small profile sketch of a girl in the bottom left corner.
We know that Beatrix managed the estates of both Edward Godwin and Whistler – so was it a personal choice to use recycled or cheaper materials, a financial choice, or the impact of societal norms at the time?
A Whistler or a Whistler?
The practice of connoisseurship, the process of attributing an artwork to an artist, has become a controversial one due to cases of incorrect or intentionally false attributions for profit.
This has raised questions as to whether the practice is necessary, or whether the focus should solely be on the artwork.
However, in the case of women artists, while it’s not an easy task, this has been pivotal to discovering new artworks or artists, as well as showcasing that they sold or were commissioned artworks.
Since Beatrix and Whistler worked closely together, its unsurprising that there is, to an extent, an overlap between their styles.
Some scholars have stated that the high quality of Beatrix’s work caused doubt among connoisseurs as to which Whistler the work belonged to.
These two etching prints, completed by Beatrix and Whistler on their honeymoon in France, are an excellent comparison of the similarities and differences in their styles.
Their shared sketch-like quality is evident, but also, they share many similarities in their depiction of the background such as the clouds and outlines of trees and grass on the land behind the chateau.
But the key difference lies in the heaviness of their lines. Whistler’s are lighter and arguably more deliberate, whereas Beatrix’s are much darker and quick.
Without any previous information or investigation, Beatrix’s print could be attributed to Whistler as an additional, more detailed etching of the view.
Fortunately, Beatrix’s print is signed with her signature monogram of a clover leaf and so can be attributed to her. Nevertheless, it is clear to see why scholars and curators are faced with a difficult challenge of separating the work of the two artists.
Life of a Woman Artist in the Late 19th Century
While many questions remain about Beatrix, we know that women artists during this period were confined to a domestic sphere – whereas historical or allegorical painting was reserved for men.
The widespread criticism by prominent critics, such as John Ruskin, perpetuated the idea of women artists as amateurs. And while their artistic education was limited, some women did find space in galleries such as the Grosvenor Gallery in London to exhibit their artwork.
Beatrix, like many other women artists, exhibited artworks under a pseudonym (‘Rix Birnie’) at the Society of British Artists for an unbiased critique.
However, the title of her artwork, Violet, revealed her identity as it was seen as a ‘feminine’ work.
Despite this, Beatrix was a successful artist who took on commissions. These ranged from a memorial stained-glass window for a church in Cumbria, to illustrations for texts for the publisher William Heinemann.
While none of the illustrations were published, it attests to the ability of women artists to attain commissions. Nevertheless, there is still more research required in this area.
Highlighting Women Artists at The Hunterian
Beside her husband’s grand portrait hang two small and intimate oil paintings on panel by Beatrix.
Regardless of her talent and success, she never produced art on a grand scale or on expensive materials like Whistler.
The recent rehang of the Hunterian Art Gallery juxtaposes the two artists and, by doing so, it continues the discussion around women artists in a historically male-dominated field.
Women artists are slowly and successfully becoming integrated into galleries, but are still often overlooked in some cases.
The Hunterian Art Gallery displays several artworks by women artists such as Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh, Bessie MacNicol and Alison Watt.
The displays invite conversation around art training, and the conditions in which men and women produced art over time.
Join us for a tour at the Hunterian Art Gallery on Saturday 8th March 2025, highlighting women artists as part of International Women’s Day.
Explore more stories of women behind, or represented in, artwork – and their achievements and contributions to the art world – elsewhere on The Hunterian’s blog.
