St John's, Westminster dates from 1896. 1

According to the Pennells, in the summer of 1896 Whistler started many studies on small panels:

'The most important was one of St. John's, Westminster. He loved the little quiet old corner, now almost entirely destroyed, and he went there several times ... he took two [afternoons] over this church. The painting was simply done, commencing with the point of interest, the masses put in bigly, the details worked into them.' 2