The Two Doorways

1879 - 1880

James Abbott McNeill Whistler American, 1834 - 1903

Not On View

The Two Doorways: 1 of Collection Gallery

The Two Doorways: 2 of Collection Gallery

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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 Two Doorways

Artwork Date 1879 - 1880

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. ----------

Medium Etching and drypoint in dark brwn ink on laid paper

Dimensions Plate: 7 7/8 × 11 5/8 inches (20 × 29.5 cm) Sheet: 8 3/16 × 11 5/8 inches (20.8 × 29.5 cm)

Classification Prints

Department Prints, Drawings & Photographs

Credit Museum Purchase, funds from Nena Cunningham Dahling in honor of Mary M. Roby

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. 2019.101

Markings

Signed Signed, in plate, upper left, with Whistler's butterfly monogram; signed, in graphite, below the plate line, lower left, with Whistler's butterfly monogram, followed by the abbreviation "imp."

Inscriptions Inscribed, in pencil, verso, in Whistler's hand: Whistler's own, to be returned; Inscribed, in pencil, verso, in an unknown hand, H L Q, the initials of the Brooklyn, New York, collector Henry L. Quick (ca. 1850-1916)

Marks Stamped, verso, BM, for Bernard Buchanan MacGeorge [1845?-1924] (Glasgow, Scotland) (Lugt 394) Stamped, verso, HW, for Harris Whittemore [1862-1927] (Naugatuck, Connecticut, USA) Lugt 1384a)

Provenance

Bernard Buchanan MacGeorge [1845?-1924] (Glasgow, Scotland) (Lugt 394).
by 1902, (H. Wunderlich and Co., New York, New York, USA).
by 1910, Henry L. Quick [ca. 1805-1916] (Brooklyn, New York, USA).
(A. A. Hahlo and Co., New York, New York, USA).
Harris Whittemore, Sr. [1864-1927] (Naugatuck, Connecticut, USA) (Lugt 1384a);
by descent, Harris Whittemore, Jr. [1894-1974] and Roberta Napier Whittemore [1897-1994] (Naugatuck, Connecticut, USA)
by descent, Robert Napier Whittemore [1921-2010] (Naugatuck, Connecticut, USA)
by descent, Thyrza S. Whittemore [b. 1951] (Middlebury, Connecticut, USA)
consigned to (Susan Schulman Fine Art, Inc., New York, New York, USA);
2019-present, purchase by the Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit, Michigan, USA)

For more information on provenance, 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 Two Doorways, 1879 - 1880, etching and drypoint in dark brwn ink on laid paper. Detroit Institute of Arts, Museum Purchase, funds from Nena Cunningham Dahling in honor of Mary M. Roby, 2019.101.