Provenance

• 1900: sold by the artist to David Croal Thomson (1855-1930) of Goupil's, London art dealers;
• 1901/1904: James Staats Forbes (1823-1904), London;
• 1904: with Obach & Co., London art dealers;
• 1904: bought by Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919), Detroit;
• 1919: bequeathed by C.L. Freer to the Freer Gallery of Art.

In 1900 Whistler sold 'Blue & Silver - The incoming steamer' to D. C. Thomson for 150 guineas. 1 It is not known when exactly J. S. Forbes bought it; it was probably sold by his executors to Obach & Co.

In 1904 Freer noted that a 'Marine - Blue, late, group on beach, boat and smoke [in distance]' from Forbes' collection was with Obach's in London, and he left an offer for it. 2 In July 1904 he bought it for £200 plus 10 per cent commission.

Exhibitions

• 1901: Spring Exhibition, Goupil Gallery, London, 1901 (cat. no. 34) as 'Blue and Silver – Boat entering Pourville'.

It was described in 1901 by the Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser as a 'dainty exercise.' 3

By the terms of C. L. Freer's bequest to the Freer Gallery of Art, the painting cannot be lent.