J.H. Woods' Fruit Shop, Chelsea |  Freer Gallery of Art (1888.20) | |
| Number: | 327 | |
| Date: | 1887/1888 | |
| Medium: | etching and drypoint | |
| Size: | 98 x 133 mm | |
| Signed: | no | |
| Inscribed: | no | |
| Set/Publication: | no | |
| No. of States: | 4 | |
| Known impressions: | 4 | |
| Catalogues: | K.265; M.261 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (4) | ||
KEYWORD
awning, children, figure, fruit, greengrocer, people, shop, shop-front, streetscape.
TITLE
There are several variations in the title, as in the examples below:
'Fruit & Potato - J. H. WOODS. - Salesman' (1887/1888, Whistler). 2
'Woods Fruit Shop' (1888, Whistler). 3
'Woods. Greengrocer - Chelsea -' (1894, Whistler). 4
'Woods Fruit Shop - Chelsea ' (1890/1892, Whistler). 5
'Wood’s Fruit-Shop' (1909, Howard Mansfield (1849-1938)). 6
'J. H. Woods' Fruit Shop, Chelsea' combines elements of the titles used by Whistler.
'Fruit & Potato - J. H. WOODS. - Salesman' (1887/1888, Whistler). 2
'Woods Fruit Shop' (1888, Whistler). 3
'Woods. Greengrocer - Chelsea -' (1894, Whistler). 4
'Woods Fruit Shop - Chelsea ' (1890/1892, Whistler). 5
'Wood’s Fruit-Shop' (1909, Howard Mansfield (1849-1938)). 6
'J. H. Woods' Fruit Shop, Chelsea' combines elements of the titles used by Whistler.
2: Etched on the copper plate.
3: Whistler to Wunderlich's, 29 June 1888, GUW #13052.
4: [January/June 1894], GUW #07271.
5: List, [1890/1892], GUW #12715.
6: Mansfield 1909[more] (cat. no. 261).
DESCRIPTION
A street scene, drawn parallel to the edge of the copper plate. It shows a shop front with a striped awning under a sign reading: 'Fruit & Potato - J. H. WOODS. - Salesman.' Above the sign is the suggestion of ironwork- possibly a balcony with flowers on it. Goods are displayed on a cloth-covered table in front of the shop window at left. A woman stands at the right of the counter, looking to left, and in front of her, slightly to her left, is the suggestion of a pile of goods. To right, in the shadows under the awning, are two other figures, slightly indicated, one possibly serving at another counter. On the pavement at right are two children, looking at the shop. In the extreme right foreground is what seems to be a tall basket.
SITE
Joseph Henry Wood had a greengrocer's shop at 1 Park Walk (off the Fulham Road), Chelsea, London in 1887. By 1888 he was at 391 Fulham Road. 7
7: London Postal Directories, 1887-1892; he was not listed in 1894.
DISCUSSION
This is one of many Chelsea shop fronts etched by Whistler, such as The Little Rag Shop, Milman's Row 265,
The Rag Shop, Milman's Row 290,
Little Greengrocer's Shop, Chelsea 264, Little Steps, Chelsea 269,
T. A. Nash's Greengrocer's Shop 298, Fish-Shop, Chelsea 267, Furniture Shop 278,
The Barber's Shop, Chelsea 263,
Rag Shop, Milman's Row, Chelsea 329,
Shaving and Shampooing 442,
Jubilee Place, Chelsea 276,
Justice Walk, Chelsea 441 and
Bird-Cages, Chelsea 297.