Etchings Institutions search term: copley society
Balcony, Amsterdam |  Art Institute of Chicago (2007.116) | |
| Number: | 446 | |
| Date: | 1889 | |
| Medium: | etching and drypoint | |
| Size: | 272 x 169 mm | |
| Signed: | butterfly at right | |
| Inscribed: | no | |
| Set/Publication: | no | |
| No. of States: | 4 | |
| Known impressions: | 27 | |
| Catalogues: | K.405; M.404; W.262 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (27) | ||
PUBLICATION
EXHIBITIONS
), and in Brussels (). 11 One was shown with a group of Amsterdam etchings at the International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers during Whistler's presidency in London in 1899. It was reviewed favourably by R.A.M. Stevenson: 11: London Dunthorne 1890 ; New York 1890a ; Brussels 1890 (cat. no. 1048).
12: The Academy, London, 20 May 1899, pp. 561-2; London ISSPG 1899 (cat. no. 239).
). 13
Other impressions were exhibited in America, first at the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893, lent by Walter Steuben Carter (1824-1904). 14 Bryan Lathrop (1844-1916) bought the first proof, which he lent to an exhibition organised by the Caxton Club in 1900 (
). 15 Another impression was shown at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in 1902, lent by Howard Mansfield (1849-1938) (). 16
Impressions also appeared in print dealer's shows, exhibited by H. Wunderlich & Co. in New York in 1898, and by Obach & Co. in London in 1903.
It was shown in Memorial Exhibitions after Whistler's death, in 1904 in Boston (lent again by W.S. Carter) and in New York (where three impressions were exhibited at the Grolier Club). 17 Others were shown in Paris in 1905, and, lent by the Board of Education, in London in 1905 (
). 18
13: See REFERENCES: EXHIBITIONS.
14: Chicago 1893 (cat. no. 2265 [1683]).
15: Chicago 1900 (cat. no. 228).
16: Philadelphia 1902 (cat. no. 947 [262]).
17: Boston 1904 (cat. no. 189); New York 1904a (cat. nos. 282, a,b,c).
18: London Mem. 1905 (cat. no. 262).
SALES & COLLECTORS
). Another was given to his bankers, Messrs Drummond, 'with my compliments and thanks for your kind courtesies to me while abroad'. 19
19: [8 February 1890], GUW #10522.
However, at the price of £15.15.0 Whistler sold one impression direct to a collector, Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919), on 4 March 1890. Whistler signed one impression ''4. / oo / chosen for / Chs. L. Freer' (
). 21 Freer immediately ordered another on behalf of Frank J. Hecker (1846-1927), which was sent on 15 May (). 22
20: GUW #13039.
21: GUW #13065; Merrill 1995 , p. 67.
).24: 10 November 1893, GUW #07223.
At the higher price, £15.15.0, Whistler sold an impression direct to the South Kensington Museum (now the Victoria and Albert Museum) on 2 July 1890 (
). 27 Eight Dutch subjects including 'Balcony, Amsterdam' were sold to Elbert Jan Van Wisselingh. (1848-1912) on 5 August 1890. 28 One was probably the impression now in the Municipal Archives, Amsterdam (). In the following year Whistler sold another direct to his friend, the Symbolist poet Stéphane Mallarmé (1842-1898), on 21 February 1891. 29
Ten years later, in 1901, Whistler sold an assortment of eight etchings, including this one (
) and a lithograph to the Königl. Kupferstichkabinett Dresden for £50.0.0. 30
An impression was left in Whistler's studio at his death and bequeathed to Rosalind Birnie Philip (1873-1958) (
) and in addition she had two or three impressions printed by Nathaniel Sparks (1880-1956). She bequeathed two of these to the University of Glasgow, which retained one () and exchanged another () with the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.); Howard Mansfield (1849-1938) (); and George Washington Vanderbilt (1862-1914) ().