Detail from The Canal, Amsterdam, 1889, James McNeill Whistler, The Hunterian, University of Glasgow

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The Sea and Sand

Provenance

  • 1885: bought from Messrs Dowdeswell by Henry Studdy Theobald (1847-1934) ;
  • 1902: bought by Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919) , Detroit;
  • 1919: bequeathed by C. L. Freer to the Freer Gallery of Art.

It was exhibited in Whistler's one-man show 'Notes' - 'Harmonies' - 'Nocturnes', Messrs Dowdeswell, London, 1884 (cat. no. 6 or 45) and bought by H. S. Theobald in the following year. 1 He was almost certainly the collector described by Whistler as having bought several paintings after the exhibition, as he wrote to Walter Dowdeswell (1858-1929):

'I must know the whereabouts of every one of my little pictures -

You promised that you would give me the address of each one by referring to the catalogues -

Then again, you must arrange with the man who bought the lot that remained over after the exhibition of the "Flesh color & grey", to let his collection go with me to America.' 2

In June 1902, Whistler sent C. L. Freer a telegram ('Theobald paintings at Marchants') informing him that the paintings owned by Theobald were apparently for sale by William Marchant & Co. 3 As a result, it was bought by Freer in August 1902, for $750.

Exhibitions

  • 1884: 'Notes' - 'Harmonies' - 'Nocturnes', Messrs Dowdeswell, London, 1884 (cat. no. 6) as 'Sea and Storm: Grey and Green' or (cat. no. 45) as 'Sands; blue note'.

The identity of the paintings exhibited at Dowdeswell's under these titles is uncertain: see Sea and Storm: Grey and Green [YMSM 283].

By the terms of C. L. Freer's bequest to the Freer Gallery of Art, the painting cannot be lent.

Notes:

1: H. S. Theobald, receipt, 1 July 1885, GUW #00858; Dowdeswell's account, [July 1885/1886], GUW #00867.

2: Whistler to W. Dowdeswell, [27 September 1885], GUW #08616.

3: 6 June 1902, GUW #11596.

Last updated: 4th December 2020 by Margaret