The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

Blue and Silver: Portsmouth dates from July 1887. As President of the Society of British Artists, Whistler was invited to attend the Naval Review at Spithead on 27 July that marked the 50th Anniversary of the succession of Queen Victoria (1819-1901). This was probably a scene at the Review.

This watercolour is catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1138).

Images

Subject

Site

Portsmouth was one of the greatest of English ports, situated on the south coast, at the mouth of the Solent, on the eastern bank, and across from the Isle of Wight. Among etchings produced by Whistler while attending Queen Victoria's Naval Review was Children, Portsmouth [301]: the city was flooded with visitors to see the spectacle.

Technique

Technique

Unknown.

History

Provenance

Unknown.

Exhibitions

• 1887: Winter Exhibition, Royal Society of British Artists, London, 1887-1888 (cat. no. 145) as 'Blue and Silver: Portsmouth'.

The Illustrated London News, 10 December 1887, did not like Whistler's watercolours of the Naval Review but unfortunately the comments do not help to identify this work.

Bibliography

Catalogues Raisonnés

• MacDonald, Margaret F., James McNeill Whistler. Drawings, Pastels and Watercolours. A Catalogue Raisonné, New Haven and London, 1995 (cat. no. 1138).

Catalogues 1855-1905

• Winter Exhibition, Royal Society of British Artists, London, 1887-1888 (cat. no. 145) as 'Blue and Silver: Portsmouth'.

Newspapers 1855-1905

• Anon., 'The Royal Society of British Artists', Illustrated London News, London, vol. 91, 10 December 1887, p. 696.