The Bonnet-Shop |  Freer Gallery of Art (1891.5) | |
| Number: | 254 | |
| Date: | 1886/1888 | |
| Medium: | etching and drypoint | |
| Size: | 99 x 67 mm | |
| Signed: | butterfly at lower left | |
| Inscribed: | no | |
| Set/Publication: | no | |
| No. of States: | 1 | |
| Known impressions: | 1 | |
| Catalogues: | K.253; M.249 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (1) | ||
KEYWORD
bonnet, boots, children, clothing, door, dress, hat, shop, shop-front, steps, woman standing.
TITLE
The title remained consistent, the only decision being whether to add 'The' or punctuation, as in these examples:
'Bonnet Shop' (1887/1888, Whistler). 2
'Bonnet Shop' (1900, Caxton Club). 3
'The Bonnet-Shop' (1909, Howard Mansfield (1849-1938)). 4
'Bonnet Shop' appears to be the title used most by Whistler.
'Bonnet Shop' (1887/1888, Whistler). 2
'Bonnet Shop' (1900, Caxton Club). 3
'The Bonnet-Shop' (1909, Howard Mansfield (1849-1938)). 4
'Bonnet Shop' appears to be the title used most by Whistler.
2: List, [1887/1888], GUW #13233.
3: Chicago 1900 (cat. no. E252).
4: Mansfield 1909 (cat. no. 249).
DESCRIPTION
In the middle, two or three steps lead up to a small shop with an open door. A woman wearing a dark dress and light bonnet ornamented with a feather is standing in the shadows of the interior, looking to right. In the shop window at left are bonnets and hats on stands, and above them, a sign reading ' CHEAP BOOTS' over what looks rather like a Union Jack with a central circle. In the window to right and on the door frame hang numerous small (and unidentifiable) goods. In front of the shop at right are two children, the outline of their bodies rather muddled up with the shop.
SITE
It was probably drawn in London, possibly in Chelsea or in the East End.
DISCUSSION
It is not known why Whistler printed so few impressions - indeed perhaps only the one impression (
). He certainly etched a lot of local shops at this time, such as
The Rag Shop, Milman's Row [290],
J.H. Woods' Fruit Shop, Chelsea [327], Furniture Shop [278], as well as subjects connected with dress such as The Seamstress [253], Clothes-Exchange, Houndsditch. No. 1 [358] and The Little Hat [366]. There are also records of what may have been a similar subject, but considerably larger, Boot Shop, Ratcliffe Highway [379].
). He certainly etched a lot of local shops at this time, such as
The Rag Shop, Milman's Row [290],
J.H. Woods' Fruit Shop, Chelsea [327], Furniture Shop [278], as well as subjects connected with dress such as The Seamstress [253], Clothes-Exchange, Houndsditch. No. 1 [358] and The Little Hat [366]. There are also records of what may have been a similar subject, but considerably larger, Boot Shop, Ratcliffe Highway [379].