UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

The Smithy was not published.

It was first exhibited at the Fine Art Society in London in 1883. To accompany this etching in the catalogue Whistler published two excerpts from earlier reviews:

These were accompanied by Whistler's marginal comment:

Thus Whistler mocked Philip Gilbert Hamerton (1834-1894) for criticising in any way the work of Rembrandt Harmens van Rijn (1617-1681), and by association, suggested that, like Rembrandt, Whistler saw beauty in a wide range of subjects.

The Globe commented on the small group of non-Venetian (or not explicitly Venetian) subjects in the 1883 exhibition, mistakenly assuming that these were earlier works, but admiring them all the more:

The St James Gazette singled Wheelwright [240] and The Smithy among 'six or seven ... which would bear comparison, even from the illustrative standpoint, with the best of his works in black-and-white ... The assured draughtsmanship and the unrivalled power of suggesting what is not given in so many lines, which distinguished Mr. Whistler's earlier works, are both conspicuous in these two plates.' 10

Ten years later, in 1893, Howard Mansfield (1849-1938) lent his impression to the World's Columbian Exposition, at the artist's request, commenting: 'by leaving out "Maude" and "Speke Hall", it became possible to include "The Smithy" and "The Barber's Shop". 11 Mansfield lent again to the Whistler Memorial show in Boston in 1904. 12

Bryan Lathrop (1844-1916) lent another impression to the exhibition organised by the Caxton Club in Chicago in 1900 (). 13 In 1900 Whistler tried to borrow an impression back from Edward Guthrie Kennedy (1849-1932) to include in a group of etchings for the Universal Exhibition in Paris, but it would appear this was not possible. 14 However, in 1901 an impression was exhibited at an International Exhibition in Dresden, bought for the gallery, and exhibited again in the following year among new acquisitions. 15

Print dealer's shows included H. Wunderlich & Co. in New York in 1898 and 1903, and Obach & Co. in London, also in 1903. 16

Impressions appeared in several Memorial Exhibitions after Whistler's death, at the Grolier Club in New York and in the Copley Society in Boston in 1904, in Paris and London in 1905, and in Rotterdam, lent by Rosalind Birnie Philip (1873-1958), in 1906. 17 She had inherited four impressions from Whistler (, , , and ) but there is no way to tell which she selected for exhibition.

The London art dealers, Messrs Dowdeswell, after reading Wedmore's catalogue, ordered an impression of 'The Smithy', which Whistler supplied on 27 July 1887 for £6.6.0. 18 They asked for another on 27 September, but there is no record of a response. He did, however, sell them one on 16 February 1889 for £10.10.0 less 20 per cent discount. 19

On 18 July of that year Whistler noted that he had one in stock, but he must have printed more. 20 On 6 April 1891 he sold one to H. Wunderlich & Co. of New York for an intermediate price, £8.8.0. 21 This was almost certainly the one bought by Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919) from Wunderlich's in 1891 ().

A year later, Edward Guthrie Kennedy (1849-1932) apparently found some problem with an impression of The Smithy, and Whistler offered to replace it. 22 When Kennedy next visited Europe he had the opportunity to pick one up but he explained:

However, a year later Kennedy complained:

Eventually Whistler must have sent it - at least, in 1900 when he was trying to put together a large group of etchings for the Universal Exhibition in Paris, he asked Kennedy to lend : 'fine proof of "Smithy" - very rich interior - smith filing at window - beautiful work in roof and background -' 25

In 1901 Whistler exhibited and then sold an impression of The Smithy () among an assortment of 8 etchings and a lithograph, to the Königl. Kupferstichkabinett Dresden for £50.0.0.

Early British collectors included John Charles Sigismund Day (1826-1908) (, ), Joshua Hutchinson Hutchinson (ca 1829 - d.1891) (, , ), and the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle (). In 1894 an impression at the J.M. Gray sale which 'seemed unfinished' fetched £2.7.6. 26 American collectors included Samuel Putnam Avery (1822-1904) (), George Aloysius Lucas (1824-1909) () and Bryan Lathrop (1844-1916) () as well as Freer, as mentioned above.

Hutchinson's etchings went to auction after his death. The 'first trial proof' (probably ) and the 'second trial proof' (possibly ) were sold at Sotheby's, 3 March 1892 (lots 295, 296) and bought by Frederick Keppel (1845-1912) of F. Keppel & Co., for £2.18.0 and £3.0.0 respectively. Lot 297, the 'third trial proof' (possibly ) was bought for the same sum by the London print dealer,Robert Dunthorne (b. ca 1851). Lot 298, the 'fourth trial proof' also went to Keppel, for £3.5.0. Lot 299, 'fifth trial proof, touched' was bought by Whistler's friend, the lithographic printer Thomas Way (1837-1915) for £3.5.0 and sold by him in 1905 to Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919) (). Finally, Lot 300, the 'sixth trial proof' was bought by 'Helbridge' for £1.18.0.