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JAMES ABBOTT McNEILL WHISTLER (1834-1903) PORTRAIT OF LADY MEUX (HARMONY IN PINK AND GRAY) Canvas, 36 1/2 inches by 75 3/4 inches HIS portrait is the second painted by Whistler of Mrs. Meux. later Lady Meux, the wife of a wealthy brewer in London, and in her early days a pretty music hall singer. In spite of this humble origin, she had the excellent taste to commission a portrait of herself by Whistler shortly after his return from Venice, in 1880, which at that moment required no little courage and conviction. During these first years after his return Whistler was far from popular. Indeed, Mrs. Meux and Lady Archibald Campbell were the only sitters who made their way to the Tite Street studio. "No others came," says M. Duret in his book on the artist. This portrait shows the lady standing, wearing a pink and gray gown made in a fashion to define the opulent lines of beautiful figure, and a large round hat shadowing the upper part of her handsome face. Mrs. Meux was happy in her courageous choice of a painter. Royalty had approved of the first portrait, and the second surpassed it. Mr. May, who made pastel sketches from two portraits, indicates, however, that she was made to work for her happiness. "In view of the number of sittings Whistler wanted," he writes, "and his serve treatment of his models, I think it enormously to the credit of Lady Meux that she should have continued through two and stated on a third portrait, in which she was painted wearing a mantle of Russian sables." 171 OW