A Sketch of Shipping |  Freer Gallery of Art (1898.361) | |
| Number: | 57 | |
| Date: | 1859 | |
| Medium: | etching and drypoint | |
| Size: | 154 x 228 mm | |
| Signed: | no | |
| Inscribed: | no | |
| Set/Publication: | 'Cancelled Plates', 1879 | |
| No. of States: | 1 | |
| Known impressions: | 20 | |
| Catalogues: | K.151; M.48; T.84; W.127 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (20) | ||
KEYWORD
barge, boat, river, sailors, sailing ship.
TITLE
Whistler's original title is not known. The three published titles show minor variations:
'A Sketch of Ships' (1886, Frederick Wedmore (1844-1921)). 2
'Sketch of Shipping' (1909, Howard Mansfield (1849-1938)). 3
'Sketch of Ships' (1910, Edward Guthrie Kennedy (1849-1932)). 4
'A Sketch of Shipping', based on Mansfield's title, covers the range of boats, barges and tall ships sketched by the artist.
'A Sketch of Ships' (1886, Frederick Wedmore (1844-1921)). 2
'Sketch of Shipping' (1909, Howard Mansfield (1849-1938)). 3
'Sketch of Ships' (1910, Edward Guthrie Kennedy (1849-1932)). 4
'A Sketch of Shipping', based on Mansfield's title, covers the range of boats, barges and tall ships sketched by the artist.
2: Wedmore 1899 (cat. no. 127) [check].
3: Mansfield 1909 (cat. no. 48).
4: Kennedy 1910 (cat. no. 151).
DESCRIPTION
Diagonally across the left foreground is a barge with hatches battened down. Behind it, dominating the left half of the plate, is a tall three-masted ship with a dark hull, and a couple of men standing near the bow (the bowsprit goes off the edge of the plate at left). There are several manned small boats, a sailing boat and barges alongside. Behind the three-master are several other sailing ships. At far right is another three-masted sailing ship, faintly outlined.
SITE
The site is probably the River Thames in London, but it could be Liverpool docks.