Portrait of Walter Winans dates from 1878. 1

On Saturday 29 June 1878 Whistler's mother, Anna Matilda Whistler (1804-1881), wrote to him, 'May be Walter Ws portrait may be finished before your birthday 11th July', in which case, Whistler could visit her in Hastings. 2

Thomas Robert Way (1861-1913) recorded going with Charles Augustus Howell (1840?-1890) to visit Whistler in Lindsey Row, Chelsea, apparently in 1878, and seeing him at work, on 'a full-length portrait of Mr. Winans, in black, against a black background.' 3