Mother of Pearl and Silver: The Andalusian

Mother of Pearl and Silver: The Andalusian is a painting by James McNeill Whistler. The work shows a woman in full figure standing with her back to the viewer, with her head in profile. The model is Ethel Whibley, (née Birnie Philip) the artist's secretary and sister-in-law. The painting's color scheme consists of black, mother-of-pearl, and silver. The title alludes to Ethel's gray silk evening dress, which is styled in the Parisian Belle Époque manner. The transparent, layered sleeves of the black bolero jacket evoke the appearance of a traditional Andalusian costume.

Subject
Ethel Whibley