Free Trade Wharf

1877

James McNeill Whistler

Associated Names
James McNeill Whistler

Artist, American, 1834 - 1903

The image shows a dock or waterfront scene from a high viewpoint. The horizon is in the middle of the composition, where the sea meets buildings and ships. The detailed lines suggest an etching style, with cross-hatching creating depth. Masts of sailing ships are on the left, and warehouses are on the right. The color palette is monochromatic. In the foreground, there is a rowboat with a figure and another boat tied to the dock. The scene conveys a sense of trade or shipyard activity.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    etching and drypoint on Japanese paper

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Dimensions

    plate: 9.9 × 18.8 cm (3 7/8 × 7 3/8 in.)
    sheet: 20.5 × 27.7 cm (8 1/16 × 10 7/8 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1943.3.8496

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    MacDonald 2012, no. 171, state viii/viii

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

(H. Wunderlich & Co., New York, stock no. a 49437). Lessing Julius Rosenwald [1891-1971], Philadelphia, (Lugt 1760b-c); gift to NGA, 1943.  

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1931

  • Etchings, Lithographs, Original Drawings, and Autograph Letters by James A. McNeill Whistler, The Free Library of Philadelphia, 1931.

Bibliography

1910

  • Kennedy, Edward G. The Etched Work of Whistler. New York: Grolier Club, 1910, no. 163, state iii/v.

2012

  • MacDonald, Margaret F., Grischka Petri, Joanna Meacock.James McNeill Whistler: The Etchings, a catalogue raisonné. University of Glasgow on-line website at http://etchings.arts.gla.ac.uk. University of Glasgow, 2012: no. 171, state viii/viii.

Inscriptions

[Whistler's butterfly signature] lower left composition, in plate, artist's hand. Not dated. "10" lower left margin, graphite, unknown hand. "6. (ut.29) x" lower right margin, graphite, unknown hand. "103" verso, lower right sheet, graphite, unknown hand. "a49437" verso, lower left sheet, graphite, unknown hand.

Markings

"LRJ" verso, black stamped ink, stamped twice. "National Gallery of Art" verso, black stamped ink.

Watermarks

None.

Wikidata ID

Q65021913

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