UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

It was published in an album of Cancelled Plates ('Cancelled Set') by The Fine Art Society, London, 1879.

It was first shown with the collection of James Anderson Rose (1819-1890) in the Guildhall, London, in 1872, and then in a travelling exhibition of his collection in Liverpool and elsewhere (Birmingham, Southampton etc.) in 1874. 15

Later, examples were shown in exhibitions organised by private clubs such as the Union League Club in New York - a 'Trial proof' lent by Samuel Putnam Avery (1822-1904) () - and the Caxton Club in Chicago, lent by Bryan Lathrop (1844-1916) (). 16

Impressions also starred in international exhibitions, including the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893, lent by Edward Guthrie Kennedy (1849-1932), as well as Glasgow in 1901, lent by James Cox-Cox (ca 1849- d.1901), and Philadelphia in 1902, lent by Howard Mansfield (1849-1938) (). 17

Several print dealer's shows included important impressions from major collections. For instance, impressions of both the first and second states from the collection of Francis Seymour Haden, Sr (1818-1910) were shown by H. Wunderlich & Co. in New York in 1898 and bought, with the advice of Thomas Wilmer Dewing (1851-1938), by Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919) (, ). 18

Finally, impressions were shown in the principal Memorial Exhibitions after Whistler's death, including New York and Boston in 1904, and - lent by James Thomas Knowles (1831-1908) - in the London Memorial show in 1905 (, ). 19

A fine impression with soft, velvety burr was among the first group of Whistler's etchings to be sold to a public collection. It was among 16 etchings sold for a total of £10.10.10 by Francis Seymour Haden, Sr (1818-1910) to South Kensington Museum on 1 January 1861 (). 20

Whistler gave some impressions to family and friends. For instance, he gave a fine print on Japanese paper to his mother, but this was apparently folded up for safe keeping, which did not improve its condition. Later, presumably after her death, it was acquired by Samuel Putnam Avery (1822-1904) (). Another impression was probably given to a fellow artist, and also may have been acquired by Avery, and returned to Whistler for signature in the early 1870s (). This may have been the impression Whistler mentioned to Fantin-Latour:

In 1872, the British Museum acquired a good early impression (). H. Stewart Cundell commented:

Later in the decade, as a result of the Ruskin trial, Whistler's fame grew in his native land. On 2 January 1879 Avery wrote:

'I have been saving up the enclosed few slips (of the many) which have appeared upon your "case" which has created an unusual stir even here, and although I cannot say that I could sell a 'nocturne' or so at 200 gs. ... I notice that when I put some of your etchings at the clubs, more than the usual number of heads gather around them, and I have had two applications (Boston & Phila[delphia]) to loan your portrait with the hat, while no one has asked for Ruskins hat, or even his head!' 23

A 'very fine early impression, rare' of 'Whistler's own Portrait' from the collection of John W. Wilson (dates unknown), was bought at auction in 1887 by the London print dealer Thomas M. McLean (b. ca 1832) for £22.0.0. 24 Later in that same year, Whistler bought back some of his own early etchings to resell, and at that time, Edmond Gosselin (1849-1917), wrote to the artist regarding a French collector:

'J'ai écrit à un de mes amateurs auquel j'avais vendu beaucoup d'eaux-fortes modernes, dans lesquelles il y a une magnifique épr[euve]. de votre portrait dit au grand chapeau. Si j'ai la chance de réussir, je vous en ferai part. (épr. sur Japon très-belle)'

Translation: 'I have written to one of my amateurs to whom I have sold many modern etchings, amongst which there is a magnificent print of your portrait called with the big hat. If I am lucky enough to succeed, I shall inform you. (very beautiful print on Japanese paper)' - or, '(proof on very beautiful Japanese paper)'. 25

In 1892, one 'trial proof' from the collection of Joshua Hutchinson Hutchinson (ca 1829 - d.1891), was bought after his death for £15.10.0 by the print dealers Deprez & Gutekunst, and a second for only £6.0.0. by Frederick Keppel (1845-1912) of F. Keppel & Co. 26 It is possible that the latter was the impression that Keppel still owned in 1928, and which passed to Boston Public Library ().

Whistler with a hat is perhaps the most attractive and definitive of Whistler's etched portraits. It is clear that what at first was considered a good, representative portrait that friends and family could keep as a memento, became much sought after and exhibited by major collectors and collections. Avery's impressions were given to New York Public Library, to help form the basis for their Print Department, while Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919), bought impressions of three different states, a cancelled state from Knoedler & Co. in 1893 (), and two earlier states in 1898 (, ), which were bequeathed to the Freer Gallery of Art in 1919.

Surviving impressions from the cancelled plate are often in the album as published in 1879. For instance, the British Museum bought an album in 1887 (), as did Thomas Glen Arthur (1858-1907)(). George Aloysius Lucas (1824-1909) bought a set () and Boston Public Library also acquired a set (). Finally, a set acquired by J. Littauer, Munich was sold to the Hamburger Kunsthalle in 1896 ().

Prices were low but collectors and collections were keen to have the set of cancelled etchings, as a record of a substantial number of otherwise unrecorded etchings and drypoints. A set, probably acquired from the Fine Art Society by Alphonse Wyatt Thibaudeau (ca 1840- d.1892), was auctioned in 1889 and bought by Robert Dunthorne (b. ca 1851) for £0.6.0. 27 Dunthorne exchanged it for other works with Rosalind Birnie Philip (1873-1958) who bequeathed it to the University of Glasgow (see ). She also had a second set of the cancelled etchings, which were trimmed to fit the envelopes containing the cancelled etching plates; this helped to identify the plates but not to preserve the etchings ().