Titles

Only one title has been suggested:

• ‘Doorway in College Street’ (1901, R. Birnie Philip). 1
• 'Doorway in College Street' (1980, YMSM). 2

Description

Miss R. Birnie Philip described it as a 'Doorway in College Street'. 3 It presumably showed a door, though whether of a shop, house, church or other structure is unknown.

Site

The site was described as College Street. 4

Elystan Street in Chelsea was originally named College Street. A pub, the College Arms (now demolished) at 47 College Street in SW3 stood at the junction of College and Leader Street. In 1886 the east side residents of College Street included Joseph Eaton at the 'Red House'; John Dible, grocer, at No. 4; Thomas Nash, greengrocer, at No. 6; John Henry Hiscock, oilman, at No. 8. Any of these could have provided a reason for a visit or subject for a painting.

There is a College Street in the City of London, near Cannon Street Station, New College Street in Camden Town (where Charles Dickens once lived, now College Place) and Great College Street in Westminster. Whistler was living mostly in London, but also visited Howth in Ireland (there is a College Street in Dublin); if the painting was of an early date then other sites are possible.

A Shop, The Hunterian

Gold and Orange: The Neighbours, Freer Gallery of Art

The 'Doorway in College Street' could possibly have been A Shop [YMSM 376] or Gold and Orange: The Neighbours [YMSM 423], both of which were in Whistler's hands in 1901.