James McNeill Whistler’s lithograph, “Stéphane Mallarmé”, 1892

James McNeill Whistler (aka James Abbott McNeill Whistler) (1834–1903)

“Stéphane Mallarmé”—French Symbolist poet (1842–1898), 1892, printed by Ch Wittmann (fl1891–1907) in Paris—(later 1894 impressions were printed by Henri Belfond (1834–1903) (see http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.42629)—signed in the stone with the artist’s butterfly monogram, published in "Vers et Prose" by Perrin et Cie (Imprimerie Deslis Frères) in Paris, 1893.

Maggs Bros. Ltd offers the following interesting exchanges between Mallarmé and Whistler regarding this print and an excellent description of it:

“Mallarmé writing to Whistler in November 1892, ’this portrait is a marvel, the best thing that’s ever been done of me, and I am delighted with it’ (5 Nov. 1892). The artist himself later wrote that ’it is very beautiful - and as a portrait of the poet extraordinary’ (Whistler’s letter to T. Way, 15 Oct. 1894)” (https://www.maggs.com/vers-et-prose-morceaux-choisis-avec-un-portrait-par-james-mn-whistler_228494.htm).

Transfer lithograph on cream chine collé on heavy wove paper backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 17.2 x 10.9 cm; (chine collé) 11.5 x 8.7 cm.

Inscribed on plate: (lower right) [artist’s butterfly monogram]; (lower edge at centre) “Imp Ch. Wittmann”.

State i (of i)

Levy 101 (“The Lithographs of James McNeill Whistler”, first published in 1998—note that this two-volume catalogue raisonné is available for online viewing at the Art Institute of Chicago: https://www.artic.edu/digital-publications/33/the-lithographs-of-james-mcneill-whistler-the-digital-edition).

The Art Institute of Chicago offers a description of this print and the following insight about Whistler and Stéphane Mallarmé:

“Introduced by Claude Monet, the poet Mallarmé and Whistler became friends in 1887 and remained close until Mallarmé’s death in 1898. Each man played a role in the other’s publishing projects; Mallarmé translated the “Ten O’Clock” lecture into French, and Whistler produced this lithographic portrait for Mallarmé’s 1893 book of poems, Vers et prose” (https://www.artic.edu/artworks/73797/stephane-mallarme).

See also the description of this print at the Metropolitan Museum of Art: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/339426#.

Condition: a well-printed impression laid upon a support sheet of fine archival/millennium quality washi paper in a near pristine (museum quality) condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this small portrait study of the famous French Symbolist poet Mallarmé, who was a close friend of Whistler and of many other artists of the time like Gauguin—see Gauguin’s etched portrait of the poet:  https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1949-0411-2463—for AU$349 (currently US$270.12/EUR225.47/GBP195.17 at the time of posting this print) including Express Mail (EMS) postage and handling to anywhere in the world (but not, of course, any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries).

If you are interested in purchasing this acknowledged very close likeness to the poet—and a print that both artist and sitter exchanged correspondence that it was “a marvel” and “very beautiful”, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This print has been sold