Provenance

• 1900: bought from the artist by Edward Guthrie Kennedy (1849-1932) of Wunderlich's, New York dealers;
• 1900: sold by Kennedy to George Washington Vanderbilt (1862-1914) ;
• 1914: bequeathed to his widow Edith Stuyvesant Vanderbilt (1873-1958) (later Mrs. E. S. Gerry);
• 1958: passed on her death to a private collection.

It is possible that Nocturne: Battersea [YMSM 120] was the 'Nocturne in Grey & Silver' sold to Alfred Chapman (1839-1917) , Liverpool. Whistler acknowledged payment on 22 June 1874:

'I have received your letter enclosing me cheque for two hundred guineas - for the two pictures - "Nocturne in Grey & Gold" (Southampton Water) and "Nocturne in Grey & Silver" - (Battersea).' 1

If so, it may have been exhibited at Goupil's in 1892 (cat. no. 25) as ' "Nocturne". Battersea Reach' (see Nocturne: Battersea Reach [YMSM 160])

However, it is not certain that this was the case, nor indeed whether Whistler sold Nocturne: Battersea [YMSM 120] before his bankruptcy in 1879 or retrieved it later. Whatever its earlier history, it reappeared in 1900, when it was obtained from Whistler by E. G. Kennedy of Wunderlich's, who sold it to G. W. Vanderbilt. Kennedy commented later:

'I sold a "Battersea Nocturne," to Mr. George W. Vanderbilt sometime in the '90's. I do not know who noticed that the painting was not signed - it may have been Mr. Vanderbilt - at any rate I must have called on Whistler for a note or memo to authenticate the picture for G. W. V., and against future foolish doubts of "Experts." ' 2

Whistler's ironic note, which Kennedy copied, and also sent on to Vanderbilt, read:

'You are perfectly right ... The "Battersea Nocturne" is not signed - and you may offer it, as it pleases you, to the most incredulous - Far from me the responsibility when the work is brought back to you, refused by some expert, upon whom it could not be imposed as anything but a Whistler / July 12, 1900.' 3

Exhibitions

• 1892: Possibly Nocturnes, Marines & Chevalet Pieces, Goupil Gallery, London, 1892 (cat. no. 25) as ' "Nocturne". Battersea Reach'.
• 1904: Oil Paintings, Water Colors, Pastels and Drawings: Memorial Exhibition of the Works of Mr. J. McNeill Whistler, Copley Society, Boston, 1904 (cat. no. 60) as 'Nocturne, Battersea'.
• 1905: Œuvres de James McNeill Whistler, Palais de l'Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Paris, 1905 (cat. no. 71).

It is just possible Nocturne: Battersea [YMSM 120] was the 'Nocturne in Grey & Silver' sold to Alfred Chapman (1839-1917), Liverpool, in 1874, and exhibited at Goupil's in 1892 (cat. no. 25) as ' "Nocturne". Battersea Reach' (see Nocturne: Battersea Reach [YMSM 160]).

Its present whereabouts is not known exactly, although it is assumed to be still in the Vanderbilt family, and it has not been seen by the compilers of this catalogue.

It is recorded on exhibition in Boston in 1904, as seen in the photograph reproduced above.