UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

age, clothing, dress, landscape, man seated, park, portrait, tree.

There are several slightly different versions of the title, as follows:


'Greenwich' (1859, Whistler). 2
'Old Greenwich Pensioner' (1874, Whistler). 3
'Greenwich Pensioner' (1874, Ralph Thomas, Jr (1840-1876)). 4
'Pensioner' (1877, Charles Augustus Howell (1840?-1890)). 5
'Greenwich Pensioner' (1889, Whistler). 6
'The Greenwich Pensioner' (1903/1935, possibly Rosalind Birnie Philip (1873-1958)). 7
'An Old Pensioner, Greenwich' (1906, Rotterdam). 8
'Old Greenwich Pensioner' (1910, Edward Guthrie Kennedy (1849-1932)). 9


Whistler etched the place and date on the copper plate but this does not constitute a title. The first published title 'Old Greenwich Pensioner' contains the superfluous word 'old'. 'Greenwich Pensioner' is therefore the preferred title.

A Greenwich Pensioner, wearing a tall top hat, reclines on the grass. His feet are at lower left and his head, in a tall top hat, is at upper right. He is leaning on his left elbow, holding a slender cane in his left hand. He wears a dark jacket, open over a pale waistcoat, and a broad belt on narrow trousers. His face is shadowed, and lit from the left. In the distance, to left, is a grassy meadow, surrounded by bushes and trees.

The Greenwich Pensioner has not been identified.

The Royal Hospital for Seamen, Greenwich, was built in 1695 and active from 1705. Seamen contributed sixpence a month from their pay towards the upkeep of the hospital. It housed some 2000 old or infirm sailors. Pensioners originally wore a uniform of dark gray with a blue lining and brass buttons. Later this was changed to brown and then blue.

The number of inmates had gradually declined by the time Whistler etched this pensioner in 1859, and in 1860 a Royal Commission proposed the end of in-pensions in exchange for an annuity to all existing inmates. In October 1865, under a new Act, 987 of the 1400 remaining in-pensioners left the Hospital. In 1869 the Hospital closed. Wren's building stood empty until the Royal Naval College moved in from Portsmouth in 1873.

Whistler etched 'Greenwich' on the copper plate. It was drawn in Greenwich Park, London. Whistler also etched the park in Greenwich Park [41], and probably in Nursemaid and Child [42].

At this period Whistler etched a variety of people of different age, character and activities, including a number of old people, such as La Mère Gérard [24], La Rétameuse [26] and La Vieille aux Loques [27].