Provenance

• 1884/1886: probably bought from Messrs Dowdeswell by Henry Studdy Theobald (1847-1934) ;
• 1902: bought by Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919) in June;
• 1919: bequeathed to the Freer Gallery of Art.

Further details are given in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 944).

Exhibitions

• 1884: 'Notes' - 'Harmonies' - 'Nocturnes', Messrs Dowdeswell, London, 1884 (cat. no. 18) as 'Grand Canal, Amsterdam, Nocturne'.
• 1884: Annual Exhibition of Sketches, Pictures & Photography: A Loan Collection of Pictures by Mr Whistler ..., Dublin Sketching Club, Dublin, 1884 (cat. no. 232) as 'Grand Canal: Amsterdam'.
• 1904: Oil Paintings, Water Colors, Pastels and Drawings: Memorial Exhibition of the Works of Mr. J. McNeill Whistler, Copley Society, Boston, 1904 (cat. no. 106) as 'Nocturne- Grand Canal, Amsterdam'.
• 1905: Œuvres de James McNeill Whistler, Palais de l'Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Paris, 1905 (cat. no. 122) as 'Nocturne. Grand Canal. Amsterdam'.

The critic of the Morning Post on 24 May 1884 wrote that it was:

'a "Nocturne" not without picturesque effect, but in the absence of those schuyts, tjalas, &c., which give such bustle and animation to the present scene, the picture can hardly be said to represent a characteristic view. As well might Cheapside be painted without cabs and omnibuses.'

By the terms of Freer's will, this work cannot be lent to another venue.