Wheelwright |  Art Institute of Chicago (1924.654) | |
| Number: | 240 | |
| Date: | 1880 | |
| Medium: | etching and drypoint | |
| Size: | 127 x 177 mm | |
| Signed: | butterfly at lower left, faint butterfly upper left | |
| Inscribed: | no | |
| Set/Publication: | 'Second Venice Set', 1886 | |
| No. of States: | 9 | |
| Known impressions: | 29 | |
| Catalogues: | K.233; M.230; W.162 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (29) | ||
KEYWORD
anvil, cart, forge, interior, man, wheelwright, worker.
TITLE
It has almost always been known by the same title, as for example:
'Wheelwright' (1883, F.A.S.). 2
'Wheelwright' (1886, Frederick Wedmore (1844-1921)). 3
'Wheelwright' (1883, F.A.S.). 2
'Wheelwright' (1886, Frederick Wedmore (1844-1921)). 3
2: London FAS 1883 (cat. no. 3).
3: Wedmore 1886 A (cat. no. 162).
DESCRIPTION
The interior of a wheelwright's workshop, with skylights in the peaked roof, and with cross-beams, on which material is stored. In the foreground at the right, near an anvil, a man is bending over a wheel. Beyond him a man stands holding a wheel upright. At the extreme right two men are at work by a forge. In the distance, two men are bending forward in front of a large wheel at the right, and a man stands in front of a bench at the left. At the far end of the workshop is a large covered wagon.
SITE
Probably London, or in the south of England.
DISCUSSION
Forges, furnaces and smiths are a recurrent subject in Whistler's work, providing dramatic lighting and complex figure compositions - and a nice warm place to work. These include several etchings (The Forge [86], Nocturne: Furnace [208], Murano - Glass Furnace [205], The Smithy [239] and Flaming Forge [490]). Numerous lithographs show similar subjects (The Tyresmith [c036], The Whitesmiths, Impasse des Carmélites [c092], The Forge, Passage du Dragon [c102], The Smith, Passage du Dragon [c103],
The Master Smith [c120],
The Sunny Smithy [c121],
The Good Shoe [c122],
Father and Son [c123],
The Strong Arm [c125],
The Blacksmith [c127] and The Brothers [c128]). In addition there are several related drawings (Study for 'The Little Forge' (K.147) [m0574],
Sketch of 'The Whitesmiths, Impasse des Carmélites' [m1417],
Sketches of 'The Forge: Passage du Dragon' and 'The Smith: Passage du Dragon' [m1450],
r.: The Blacksmith's, Howth; v.: Horse in a stable [m1619],
r.: The Forge; v.: Smiths, Ajaccio [m1679],
The Flaming Forge, Ajaccio [m1678]). Finally there is one later oil painting,
The Little Forge, Lyme Regis [y442].