Etchings Institutions search term: metropolitan museum
Liverdun | ||
Number: | 13 | |
Date: | 1858 | |
Medium: | etching | |
Size: | 109 x 156 mm | |
Signed: | 'Whistler' at upper right (1-final); 'J. Whistler' at lower left (3) | |
Inscribed: | 'Imp. Delatre. Rue St. Jacques. 171.' at lower right (3) | |
Set/Publication: | 'French Set', 1858 | |
No. of States: | 3 | |
Known impressions: | 48 | |
Catalogues: | K.16; M.16; T.2; W.4 | |
Impressions taken from this plate (48) |
PUBLICATION
EXHIBITIONS
It was seen in public exhibitions, such as at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 1879, and in private clubs, for the connoisseur. A 'Trial proof; rare; before name' was shown at the Union League Club in New York in 1881 () with another impression, 'The same. The published state.' 8 Both would have been lent by Samuel Putnam Avery (1822-1904), who was largely responsible for the comments in the catalogue, distinguishing the state and rarity of individual impressions and arranging them in roughly chronological order.
It appeared in print dealers' shows, at H. Wunderlich & Co. (1898, 1903) and F. Keppel & Co. (1902) in New York. 9 Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919) bought two of the impressions in 1898. Bryan Lathrop (1844-1916) lent an impression to the exhibition organised by the Caxton Club in Chicago in 1900 (). 10
6: Hague 1863 ; see REFERENCES: EXHIBITIONS.
7: London Pall Mall 1874 ; Liverpool 1874 (cat. no. 502).
8: New York 1881 (cat. nos. 4, 5).
9: Liverpool 1874 (cat. no. 502).
10: Chicago 1900 (cat. no. 4).
11: New York 1904a (cat. no. 5); Boston 1904 (cat. no. ?); London Mem. 1905 (cat. no. 4).
SALES & COLLECTORS
12: GUW #07079.
13: V&A, Register for Prints, p. 33.
The highest prices went naturally to impressions that appeared rare or unusual. At the William Drake (1817-1890) sale in 1892 a 'first undescribed state' was bought by Edmund F. Deprez (1851-1915) for £1.4.0. After the death of Joshua Hutchinson Hutchinson (ca 1829 - d.1891), his important collection was sold at Sotheby's and an 'early impression on greenish paper' was bought by Edmund F. Deprez (1851-1915) for £0.12.0, while 'another impression' was bought by 'Church' for £0.11.0. 16 To put these comparatively low prices in context, a complete 'French Set' was bought by Colnaghi's for £6.0.0 in 1894. 17
Among the etchings acquired by Whistler's brother-in-law, Seymour Haden, were two states of Liverdun, exhibited and bought from Wunderlich's, through Thomas Wilmer Dewing (1851-1938), by Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919) (, ) in 1898.
14: Sotheby's, 30 April 1876 (lots 723, 724).
15: George William Reid sale, Sotheby's, 28 February 1890 (lot 471) bought by B. F. Stevens, £1.0.0; Christie’s, 21 July 1891 (lot 142) bought by Dickens, £0.5.0; Sotheby's, 15 December 1896 (lot 255) bought by Harrington for £0.19.0.
16: Christie’s, 8-9 March 1892 (lot 332), Sotheby's, 3 March 1892 (lots 46, 47).
17: Christie’s, 31 July 1894 (lot 8).
Etchings from the 'French Set' have suffered over the last 150 years, not always being recognised for what they were - fine examples of Whistler's earliest set of etchings. Fortunately some are still emerging from oblivion. A perfectly good impression was sold at 'Paddy's Market' in Liverpool, and presented by Ian Campbell to the Walker Art Gallery in November 1970 ().
18: Inventory book, 6 June 1907, Kupferstichkabinett Berlin.