Reading by Lamplight |  Freer Gallery of Art (1905.114) | |
| Number: | 37 | |
| Date: | 1859 | |
| Medium: | etching and drypoint | |
| Size: | 161 x 120 mm | |
| Signed: | 'J. Whistler' at lower right | |
| Inscribed: | no | |
| Set/Publication: | no | |
| No. of States: | 3 | |
| Known impressions: | 40 | |
| Catalogues: | K.32; M.30; T.24; W.25 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (40) | ||
PUBLICATION
Reading by Lamplight was never published.
EXHIBITIONS
It was shown first with the collection of James Anderson Rose (1819-1890) in Liverpool in 1874. 17 A few years later, Samuel Putnam Avery (1822-1904) lent two impressions, described as a 'Trial proof; very rare' (
) and 'The same. Work added and face altered', to the Union League Club in New York in 1881. 18
Impressions were shown in a variety of private, international and dealer's exhibitions, including H. Wunderlich & Co. in New York in 1898 and 1903, and Obach & Co., London, in 1903. Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919) bought his third state of this etching from Wunderlich's show in 1898 () and a first state from Obach's, not from the exhibition, but two years later, in 1905 (). 19 Bryan Lathrop (1844-1916) lent one to the show organised by the Caxton Club, Chicago, in 1900 () or (). In 1902 an impression was shown in an Art and Industrial Exhibition in Wolverhampton, UK. 20
It was also shown in the principal Memorial Exhibitions after Whistler's death, including the Grolier Club in New York in 1904. Howard Mansfield (1849-1938) lent an impression to the Copley Society exhibition in Boston, also in 1904 ( or ), and King Edward VII to the London show of 1905 (). 21
) and 'The same. Work added and face altered', to the Union League Club in New York in 1881. 18 Impressions were shown in a variety of private, international and dealer's exhibitions, including H. Wunderlich & Co. in New York in 1898 and 1903, and Obach & Co., London, in 1903. Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919) bought his third state of this etching from Wunderlich's show in 1898 (
) and a first state from Obach's, not from the exhibition, but two years later, in 1905 (). 19 Bryan Lathrop (1844-1916) lent one to the show organised by the Caxton Club, Chicago, in 1900 () or (). In 1902 an impression was shown in an Art and Industrial Exhibition in Wolverhampton, UK. 20 It was also shown in the principal Memorial Exhibitions after Whistler's death, including the Grolier Club in New York in 1904. Howard Mansfield (1849-1938) lent an impression to the Copley Society exhibition in Boston, also in 1904 (
or ), and King Edward VII to the London show of 1905 (). 21 17: Liverpool 1874 (cat. nos. 516, 516a).
18: New York 1881 (cat. nos. 37-38).
19: New York 1898 (cat. no.24).
20: Chicago 1900 (cat. no. 25). See REFERENCES: EXHIBITIONS.
21: New York 1904a (cat. no. 27); Boston 1904 (cat. no. 19); London Mem. 1905 (cat. no. 25).
SALES & COLLECTORS
The British Museum bought a rich impression of the first state from Edmund Thomas (1842-1883) or Percy Thomas (1846-1922) in 1872 (), 22 and Percy Thomas sold the Victoria and Albert Museum a third state in 1905 (). William Loring Andrews (1837-1927) gave a third state to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1883 ().
), 22 and Percy Thomas sold the Victoria and Albert Museum a third state in 1905 (). William Loring Andrews (1837-1927) gave a third state to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1883 (). 22: B.M. Register of Purchases ... 1872.
James Anderson Rose (1819-1890) had two states of Reading by Lamplight, shown in a travelling exhibition in 1874 and sold at Sotheby's in a three-day sale from 27 June 1876 (lots 677, 678) the first of which was bought by the print dealer Alphonse Wyatt Thibaudeau (ca 1840- d.1892).
Fine impressions entered important private collections such as those of Philippe Burty (1830-1890) (, ) and Bernard Buchanan MacGeorge (1845?-1924) (). MacGeorge's impression had been returned to Whistler for his butterfly signature in the 1890s; it was a beautiful impression of the first state, and was sold in 1903 through H. Wunderlich & Co. to Howard Mansfield (1849-1938), and later acquired by Harris G. Whittemore (d. ca 1937), who also bought Burty's impression of the second state at auction (). These had fetched surprisingly low prices at the Burty sale, where a second state was bought by Hogarth, the print dealer, for £1.11.0 and the third state by 'Courtney' for only £0.10.0. 23 Burty's prints have now entered two important Whistler collections: the Library of Congress and Colby College Museum of Art. Another impression, a third state owned by MacGeorge, was again handled by Wunderlich's, bought by Harry Brisbane Dick (1855-1916) and acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (). Another Mansfield impression, this time of the third state, also passed through Whittemore's hands, and went to the Library of Congress ().
, ) and Bernard Buchanan MacGeorge (1845?-1924) (). MacGeorge's impression had been returned to Whistler for his butterfly signature in the 1890s; it was a beautiful impression of the first state, and was sold in 1903 through H. Wunderlich & Co. to Howard Mansfield (1849-1938), and later acquired by Harris G. Whittemore (d. ca 1937), who also bought Burty's impression of the second state at auction (). These had fetched surprisingly low prices at the Burty sale, where a second state was bought by Hogarth, the print dealer, for £1.11.0 and the third state by 'Courtney' for only £0.10.0. 23 Burty's prints have now entered two important Whistler collections: the Library of Congress and Colby College Museum of Art. Another impression, a third state owned by MacGeorge, was again handled by Wunderlich's, bought by Harry Brisbane Dick (1855-1916) and acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (). Another Mansfield impression, this time of the third state, also passed through Whittemore's hands, and went to the Library of Congress ().23: Sotheby's, 30 April 1876 (lots 749, 750).
Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919) bought his third state of this etching - originally from the collection of Francis Seymour Haden, Sr (1818-1910) - from H. Wunderlich & Co. in 1898 () and a first state - that had also been handled by Charles William Dowdeswell (1832-1915) - from Obach & Co. in 1905 (). Obach's had sold an impression to the Kupferstichkabinett, Berlin, for £5.5.0 in 1904 (). The Royal Collection owned a third state that was sold through Agnew's, London, and H. Wunderlich & Co., New York, in 1906 and acquired shortly afterwards by Albert Henry Wiggin (1868-1951) for Boston Public Library ().
) and a first state - that had also been handled by Charles William Dowdeswell (1832-1915) - from Obach & Co. in 1905 (). Obach's had sold an impression to the Kupferstichkabinett, Berlin, for £5.5.0 in 1904 (). The Royal Collection owned a third state that was sold through Agnew's, London, and H. Wunderlich & Co., New York, in 1906 and acquired shortly afterwards by Albert Henry Wiggin (1868-1951) for Boston Public Library ().Other early collectors included Samuel Putnam Avery (1822-1904), who owned both first and third states (, ) - which went to the New York Public Library - and Bryan Lathrop (1844-1916), who owned two (, ) the latter bought from Wunderlich's, both of which went to the Art Institute of Chicago.
, ) - which went to the New York Public Library - and Bryan Lathrop (1844-1916), who owned two (, ) the latter bought from Wunderlich's, both of which went to the Art Institute of Chicago.