The Coast of Brittany is signed and dated '1861'. It dates from the autumn of 1861. 1

In early June 1861 Whistler fell 'dreadfully ill with Rheumatic fever.' 2 He was nursed by his half-sister, Deborah Delano Haden (1825-1908), and family, in Sloane Street, London, advised by the family doctor, James Reeves Traer (1833-1867). By 25 July Whistler was much better and told his mother, Anna Matilda Whistler (1804-1881), that he planned to recuperate by the sea; she replied. 'I hope yr old friend "Sea Side" will soon establish the cure.' 3

It is not clear if he left immediately, but in mid-October George du Maurier (1834-1896) mentioned that 'Jimmy' was on the Côtes-du-Nord. 4 According to Whistler's mother he convalesced on the coast of Brittany, 'sea bathing recovering his health' for nearly three months. 5 This would have been perfectly reasonable in September 1861 but unwise in November! He may have returned via London, or travelled directly to Paris. He was certainly back in Paris by mid-November 1861. 6

The Coast of Brittany, Wadsworth Atheneum

On 23 November 1861 Ignace-Henri-Jean-Théodore Fantin-Latour (1836-1904) wrote to Edwin Edwards (1823-1879) that Whistler had been back in Paris a couple of weeks, 'il a fait un tableau qu'il ne veut montrer que nettoyé et encadré, oh! Barnum.' 7 A month later the painting was apparently ready to be displayed: under the title 'Seule', it arrived on 26 December 1861 in the Boulevard des Italiens for exhibition by the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts. 8