Nocturne: Grey and Gold – Westminster Bridge dates from between 1872 and 1874.

1871/1872: The first owner, Percy Wyndham (1835-1911) , thought that it was painted in 1871 or 1872 and bought by him in 1872 or 1874. 1 However Wyndham was wrong about his purchase: the painting was bought in 1875.

Nocturne: Grey and Gold – Westminster Bridge , Glasgow Museums

1874/1875: Between June 1874 and the autumn of 1875 (before the Dudley Gallery winter exhibition of 1875) Whistler told the Liverpool collector Alfred Chapman (1839-1917):

'I have I think just the picture for you - a hundred pounder - Shall I send it? … A very warm summer night on the Thames ... A Nocturne in blue and gold - view of the river from the Houses of Parliament.' 2

A drawing of the painting, Souvenir of Nocturne in Blue and Gold / From Westminster bridge [M.0569], is signed with a butterfly dating from ca 1874.

Nocturne: Grey and Gold – Westminster Bridge , Glasgow Museums

1875: The picture was first exhibited at the 9th Winter Exhibition of Cabinet Pictures in Oil, Dudley Gallery, London, 1875 (cat. no. 160) as 'Nocturne in Blue and Gold, No. 3'. It is possible that Whistler worked on it briefly after that date.