Café Luxembourg |  Freer Gallery of Art (1902.119) | |
| Number: | 436 | |
| Date: | 1888/1893 | |
| Medium: | etching | |
| Size: | 98 x 135 mm | |
| Signed: | butterfly at upper left | |
| Inscribed: | no | |
| Set/Publication: | no | |
| No. of States: | 1 | |
| Known impressions: | 1 | |
| Catalogues: | K.434; M.425 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (1) | ||
PUBLICATION
Café Luxembourg was not published.
EXHIBITIONS
An etching of this title was exhibited at the first exhibition of the International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers in 1899, when Whistler was President. 4 Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919) lent an impression - the only extant impression - to the exhibition organised by the Caxton Club in 1900 (
). 5 This is somewhat mysterious because Freer's records say that he only bought it in 1902; did he take it and only receive the invoice later or did he lend another impression or some similar subject, such as The Little Café au Bois [c091]? Freer certainly lent this etching - Café Luxembourg - to the Grolier Club in 1904 and to the Whistler Memorial Exhibition in Boston, also in 1904. 6
). 5 This is somewhat mysterious because Freer's records say that he only bought it in 1902; did he take it and only receive the invoice later or did he lend another impression or some similar subject, such as The Little Café au Bois [c091]? Freer certainly lent this etching - Café Luxembourg - to the Grolier Club in 1904 and to the Whistler Memorial Exhibition in Boston, also in 1904. 6 4: London ISSPG 1899 (cat. no. 240); See REFERENCES: EXHIBITIONS.
5: Chicago 1900 (cat. no. 274).
6: New York 1904a (cat. no. 351); Boston 1904 (cat. no. 232).
SALES & COLLECTORS
Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919) owned an impression (). Whistler sold this to him through his sales venue at the Company of the Butterfly in May 1902 for £8.8.0. 7 Curiously, Freer supposedly lent the etching to the Caxton Club in 1900, which suggests he obtained it earlier - or that there is some confusion in the titles, or in Whistler's accounting
It is very surprising that only one impression has been located, given that Whistler appears to have exhibited it in 1899. The very limited print-runs of the late Paris etchings may have been intended by Whistler as a marketing ploy, or may have been coincidental. It is also possible that impressions stored in the Paris studio were lost when it was sold.
). Whistler sold this to him through his sales venue at the Company of the Butterfly in May 1902 for £8.8.0. 7 Curiously, Freer supposedly lent the etching to the Caxton Club in 1900, which suggests he obtained it earlier - or that there is some confusion in the titles, or in Whistler's accountingIt is very surprising that only one impression has been located, given that Whistler appears to have exhibited it in 1899. The very limited print-runs of the late Paris etchings may have been intended by Whistler as a marketing ploy, or may have been coincidental. It is also possible that impressions stored in the Paris studio were lost when it was sold.
7: Whistler to C. L. Freer, [23 March 1900/June 1902], GUW #13883.