The Sea Shore, Dieppe may date from between 1888 and 1900. 1

The Sea Shore, Dieppe, The Hunterian

The butterfly signature suggests a date of about 1888. The Sea Shore, Dieppe, as well as The Blue Sea [YMSM 380] and Violet and Blue: The Little Bathers, Pérosquérié [YMSM 382] were probably painted when Whistler and his bride, Beatrice Philip (Mrs E. W. Godwin, Mrs J. McN. Whistler) (1857-1896), were on their honeymoon. On 25 August 1888 Alan Summerly Cole (1846-1934) noted in his diary that he had met them at Boulogne, 'J. sketching on sands.' 2

It is, however, just possible that this was painted when Whistler was in Dieppe in 1885 (see White and Grey: La Cour de l'hôtel, Dieppe [YMSM 325] and Coast Scene: Bathers [YMSM 326]) and that the butterfly was added later.