UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

It was published in the second state as The Kitchen in Douze eaux-fortes d'après Nature (Twelve Etchings from Nature, the 'French Set') in 1858.

In the third state it was published by the Fine Art Society, London, in 1885. Whistler complained vigorously that he had been paid in pounds sterling rather than guineas:

The Academy critic praised this edition highly:

'the Fine Art Society has recently issued a small edition of the famous plate known as ''The Kitchen'', a plate of which the earliest state was wrought by Mr Whistler twenty-five years ago. It presented, with much cleverness, but with some imperfection, what is called a ''Rembrandtesque'' effect of light and shade, the light entering the kitchen by a narrow window, and striking brilliantly on the wall. The foreground was somewhat unsatisfactory. Mr Whistler has recently added much work for the issue of the Fine Art Society; he has ''brought the picture together'', as the phrase is, and given to the elaborate etching a harmonious unity sometimes more conspicuous in a first sketch than in a highly wrought plate. The plate now takes its place as not only fine, but faultless.' 14

As part of the 'French Set', this was a comparatively well-known print. It was first shown in an exhibition of the work of contemporary painters at The Hague in 1863. 15

In 1874 the critic of The Builder compared La Vieille aux Loques [27] and La Marchande de Moutarde [20] to the work of Rembrandt Harmens van Rijn (1617-1681), asserting that they were 'in power of composition and light and shade, like a Rembrandt on a small scale; and of kindred excellence is ... the small interior called "Saverne" (26), a momentary incident of internal effect in a small room, with a female figure looking out of the window, which the artist has caught and turned to poetry, for whosoever has eyes to discern it. 16 This description fits The Kitchen, and suggests that it was shown at Whistler's one-man exhibition in London in 1874, but under a different title, 'Saverne'. 17 Certainly an impression travelled to Liverpool with the collection of James Anderson Rose (1819-1890) in 1874, but by then it had definitely acquired the accepted title, The Kitchen. 18

It also went on show at exhibitions organised by private clubs of connoisseurs and collectors, one 'Fine old proof' being lent by Samuel Putnam Avery (1822-1904) to the Union League Club in New York in 1881 (). 19 Impressions were seen by the public in several international exhibitions, including the Glasgow International Exhibitions of 1888, lent by Bernard Buchanan MacGeorge (1845?-1924), and 1901, lent by James Cox-Cox (ca 1849- d.1901). 20 Impressions were lent by Mansfield to an exhibition of etchings at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1891 (i.e. ), and it was included in the panel organised by Howard Mansfield (1849-1938) at the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893. 21 Another was lent by Bryan Lathrop (1844-1916) to the Caxton Club, Chicago, in 1900 (). 22

In New York, it was shown in print dealer's shows, by H. Wunderlich & Co. (1889, 1898, 1903) and F. Keppel & Co. (1902). Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919) bought impressions of the second () and third state () from Wunderlich's show in 1898. 23

Finally, it was exhibited in the Memorial Exhibitions after Whistler's death, by the Copley Society in Boston and at the Grolier Club in New York in 1904, and in Paris and London in 1905, being lent by King Edward VII to the London show (). 24

It was at first sold with the 'French Set'. Sets were often kept in folders but sometimes bound in an album, although these albums have now mostly been dismantled (for instance, see ).

In marketing the 'French Set' Whistler was helped by his family, including Francis Seymour Haden, Sr (1818-1910). On 1 January 1861 Haden sold 16 prints to what was then the South Kensington Museum (now the V&A) for £10.10.0, and in addition presented the museum with a complete 'French Set', as printed by Auguste Delâtre (1822-1907) including The Kitchen (). 25

Whistler may have given one impression of the second state to Francis Seymour Haden, Sr (1818-1910) (), and certainly Haden owned impressions of the second (), and third state () which were bought by Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919) from Wunderlich's in 1898. other early collectors included George Aloysius Lucas (1824-1909) () and Samuel Putnam Avery (1822-1904) (). The British Museum acquired an impression in 1872 ().

E.D. Wallace (fl. 1871-1887), poet, novelist and writer on art, reported in detail on a visit to the British Museum Prrint Room to see Whistler's works, commenting, "An Old Kitchen" is a Rembrandtesque effect of light slanting through a back window over the figure of an old woman, who enjoys the leisure afforded by a kitchen in perfect order to gaze out into the daylight from the gloomy gray interior of her homely room.' 26

In April 1876 the collection of Philippe Burty (1830-1890) was exhibited by Alphonse Wyatt Thibaudeau (ca 1840- d.1892) in the print-shop of Thomas M. McLean (b. ca 1832) in Haymarket, London, prior to its auction. Wedmore's review specifically mentions this etching:

At auction, a 'first state' from the collection of John W. Wilson (dates unknown) fetched £4.4.0 in 1887. At the sale of the important collection of the late Joshua Hutchinson Hutchinson (ca 1829 - d.1891) in 1892, a 'first state' went to the London print dealer Robert Dunthorne (b. ca 1851) for a comparatively high price, £8.15.0, and another impression to Edmund F. Deprez (1851-1915) for £4.10.0, while a cancelled impression was bought by Frederick Keppel (1845-1912) for only £0.3.0. At the William Richard Drake (1817-1890) sale in 1892, two first states were sold for £10.10.0 and £3.0.0, both bought by Deprez. 28

H. Wunderlich & Co. of New York sold a good impression of the third state as printed by Whistler and published by the Fine Art Society to Freer in 1888 (). The prices Whistler himself obtained from Wunderlich's ranged from £6.6.0 on 4 July 1892 to £8.8.0 on 10 April 1893, for one impression plus a 'destroyed proof'. 29

Sometimes the etching was sold at auction with the complete 'French Set'; for instance, a set was bought by Colnaghi's for £6.0.0 at Christie's, 31 July 1894. The Kupferstichkabinett Berlin paid a lot more - £45.0.0 - for an impression bought from Obach & Co. in 1904 ().