The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

A Nocturne in Blue and Silver, probably dating from between 1871 and 1879, may have been exhibited at the International and Universal Exhibition, Crystal Palace, London, 1884. ¹

Nocturne: The Solent, Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art

Nocturne: Blue and Silver – Bognor, Freer Gallery of Art

Nocturne: Blue and Silver – Cremorne Lights, Tate

Nocturne: Blue and Silver – Battersea Reach, Freer Gallery of Art

Nocturne: Blue and Silver – Battersea Reach, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

A surprising number of Whistler's nocturnes dating from between 1871 and 1879, several of which could have been described as 'nocturne in blue and silver' (although their titles varied over time), could have been available for exhibition in 1884. Whistler owned some outright, or had deposited them as security for loans. Some were owned by tolerant collectors, and some have simply not been identified. Those possibly available include: Nocturne: Blue and Silver - Bognor y100, Nocturne: Blue and Silver - Chelsea y103, Nocturne: Blue and Silver - Cremorne Lights y115, Nocturne: Blue and Gold - Southampton Water y117, Nocturne in Blue and Silver y118, Nocturne: Blue and Silver - Battersea Reach y119, Nocturne: Battersea y120, Nocturne in Blue and Silver y151, and Nocturne: Blue and Silver - Battersea Reach y152.

Nocturne: Blue and Silver – Chelsea, Tate

Nocturne: Blue and Gold – Southampton Water, Art Institute of Chicago

Nocturne in Blue and Silver, Yale Center for British Art

Of these, several – Nocturne: Blue and Silver - Chelsea y103, Nocturne: Blue and Gold - Southampton Water y117, Nocturne in Blue and Silver y151 – had been on exhibition at the Exposition Internationale de Peinture, Galerie George Petit, Paris, 1883, which suggests they were readily available.

Images

Subject

Titles

Only one title is known:

• 'Nocturne in blue and silver' (1884, Crystal Palace). ²

Description

A night scene. It is more than possible that this was a known Nocturne, but without further description or details it is impossible to identify it.

Site

Unknown, possibly showing the river Thames.

Technique

Technique

Unknown.

Conservation History

Unknown.

Frame

Unknown.

History

Provenance

Unknown.

Exhibitions

• 1884: International and Universal Exhibition, Crystal Palace, London, 1884.

In May 1884 Whistler hurriedly tried to obtain paintings, including Arrangement in Brown and Black: Portrait of Miss Rosa Corder y203, to submit to the International and Universal Exhibition, Crystal Palace, London, 1884. ³ According to the Manchester Guardian, Whistler's exhibits in an 1884 exhibition, possibly the Crystal Palace exhibition, included a 'Nocturne in blue and silver'. ⁴

Bibliography

Catalogues Raisonnés

• Young, Andrew McLaren, Margaret F. MacDonald, Robin Spencer, and Hamish Miles, The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler, New Haven and London, 1980 (cat. no. 148) as 'Nocturne in Blue and Silver'.

Authored by Whistler

• None.

Catalogues 1855-1905

• The Official Catalogue of the Fine Art and Industrial Exhibits, [International and Universal Exhibition], London, 1884.

Newspapers 1855-1905

• Anon., ‘The International Exhibition at the Crystal Palace’, The Manchester Guardian, Manchester, 22 May 1884, p. 8.

Journals 1855-1905

• None.

Monographs

• None.

Books on Whistler

• None.

Books, General

• None.

Catalogues 1906-Present

• None.

Journals 1906-Present

• None.

Websites

• None.

Unpublished

• None.

Other

• None.