UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

The Pierrot was never published. However, it is part of Whistler's clearly defined but unpublished 'Amsterdam Set'.

The Pierrot was widely exhibited. In 1890, it was among Amsterdam etchings shown in London by Robert Dunthorne (b. ca 1851), and was shown in Brussels, and , lent by Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919) (), at the Grolier Club in New York. 14 Walter Steuben Carter (1824-1904) bought several fine impressions from the 'Amsterdam Set' and lent them to the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. 15

Impressions were shown by print dealers, H. Wunderlich & Co. in New York in 1898 and 1903 and Obach & Co. in London in 1903. 16

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:

'We must give the International Society praise in [an]other, and that an important matter - its encouragement of illustration and of the art of black-and-white. Mr. Whistler contributes a small room full of new etchings, which seem more fascinating than all but two of his painted exhibits. Some are slight enough, a mere scratch or two, as the marine "Jubilee Review" [sic], yet none the less studied and elegant in the point of their placing and the equality of their finish. One likes to see a result thus lightly, deftly and promptly obtained; for a few scratches, alas! can be weighty, meaningless, and even too many for the purpose. But the most agreeable of all Mr. Whistler's contributions are those lively water-fronts showing through a rain of fine lines, airy palaces, or crumbling storehouses pierced with sombre caves that open on a mystery of gloom. Of these "The Balcony, Amsterdam", "The Pierrot", "Nocturne, Amsterdam" may serve as good examples.' 17

Bryan Lathrop (1844-1916) lent an impression of Pierrot to the exhibition organised by the Caxton Club in Chicago in 1900 (). 18 Other impressions appeared at major exhibitions in Buffalo in 1901, Dresden in 1901 and 1902 (), and, lent by Howard Mansfield (1849-1938), in Philadelphia in 1902 (, ). 19

Impressions were exhibited at the Memorial Exhibitions after Whistler's death, including three shown at the Grolier Club in New York in 1904 and one at the Paris Memorial show in 1905. Mansfield lent his impression to the Boston show in 1904 (), H.R.H. the Princess Victoria to the London exhibition in 1905, and Rosalind Birnie Philip (1873-1958) to an exhibition in Rotterdam in 1906 (). 20

The price of The Pierrot was set at £15.15.0 and in March 1890 Whistler sold an impression to Robert Dunthorne (b. ca 1851), who held the first exhibition of the Amsterdam set. 21

Whistler then sold impressions direct to several private collectors including John Postle Heseltine (1843-1929) in March 1890; on 4 March he sold one to Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919) that had just been printed on 23 February () and another to Howard Mansfield (1849-1938) (); and then sold impressions to art dealers, Messrs Dowdeswell and the Fine Art Society. 22

He sold a 'first state' and a 'later state' (possibly ) to H. Wunderlich & Co. of New York, on 3 April. 23 Impressions were also sold to Frederick Keppel (1845-1912) of F. Keppel & Co. on 23 June 1890 and 13 January 1891. 24 At the same price - £15.15.0 - he sold another one to Deprez & Gutekunst. 25 A '1st Proof' was sold to Wunderlich's on 6 May for a much higher price, £18.18.0 () and another impression on 11 August for the lower price of £15.15.0. 26 One of the impressions sold to Wunderlich's is inscribed 'Early state / for Wunderlich' (), and other, later states, just 'For Wunderlich' ( numbered '3'; and ). Another two were bought by H. Wunderlich & Co. in 1898 for £12.12.0, after their discount, and in 1900 for £15.15.0. 27

Whistler also apparently sold an impression to Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919) at £15.15.0, although this may have been the sale recorded earlier. 28

In 1901 Whistler sold an assortment of eight etchings, including The Pierrot (), and a lithograph to the Königl. Kupferstichkabinett Dresden for £50.0.0. 29

At auction an impression from the collection of the late Joshua Hutchinson Hutchinson (ca 1829 - d.1891) was sold at Sotheby’s, 3 March 1892 (lot 346) to the London print dealer Robert Dunthorne (b. ca 1851) for £13.0.0. Dunthorne continued to buy impressions from Whistler, one for a very high price, £18.18.0, on 24 December 1902, possibly as a last-minute Christmas present, and another on 8 June 1903 for the highest price of all, £21.0.0. This was shortly before Whistler's death and the price may reflect Dunthorne's knowledge that the artist was failing. 30 At this time there were still three impressions in Whistler's studio, which were bequeathed to Rosalind Birnie Philip (1873-1958) (, and ).

Early collectors included Arthur Haythorne Studd (1863-1919), who bequeathed an impression to the British Museum (); John Henry Wrenn (1841-1911) (); Henry Harper Benedict (1844-1935) (); Clarence Buckingham (1855-1913) (); Harry Brisbane Dick (1855-1916) (); Albert W. Scholle (1860-1917) (); Harris G. Whittemore (d. ca 1937) (); Margaret Selkirk Watson Parker (1867-1936) (); George Washington Vanderbilt (1862-1914) () and Pauline Kohlsaat Palmer (1882-1956) ().