York Street, Westminster |  Art Institute of Chicago (1917.477) | |
| Number: | 382 | |
| Date: | 1888 | |
| Medium: | etching and drypoint | |
| Size: | 128 x 218 mm | |
| Signed: | butterfly at lower left | |
| Inscribed: | no | |
| Set/Publication: | no | |
| No. of States: | 2 | |
| Known impressions: | 8 | |
| Catalogues: | K.270; M.266; W.220 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (8) | ||
KEYWORD
children, façade, , people, shop, street.
TITLE
There are several slight variations in the title, as follows:
'Westminster' (1887/1888). 2
'York Road' (1887/1888, Whistler). 3
'York Street (Westminster[)] ' (1888, Whistler). 4
'York Road - Westminster' (1888, Whistler). 5
'York Street, Westminster' (1899, Frederick Wedmore (1844-1921)). 6
'York Street, Westminster' is the preferred title, based on one of Whistler's titles with added punctuation, as accepted by later cataloguers. The scene is York Street, not York Road, Westminster.
'Westminster' (1887/1888). 2
'York Road' (1887/1888, Whistler). 3
'York Street (Westminster[)] ' (1888, Whistler). 4
'York Road - Westminster' (1888, Whistler). 5
'York Street, Westminster' (1899, Frederick Wedmore (1844-1921)). 6
'York Street, Westminster' is the preferred title, based on one of Whistler's titles with added punctuation, as accepted by later cataloguers. The scene is York Street, not York Road, Westminster.
2: Written on .
3: List, [1887/1888], GUW #13233.
4: Whistler to Wunderlich's, 29 June 1888, GUW #13052.
5: Whistler to Dowdeswell's, 17 November 1888, GUW #13028.
6: Wedmore 1899[more] (cat. no. 220).
DESCRIPTION
A view across a street, where a covered passageway with a central bollard leads between two shops into a street or court. The shop at left has a large show-window, with shelves of goods (bottles, pots, boxes) on display, and to right, two doors, one open and the next closed. Within the open doorway is a woman standing, bent over, with shelves of goods stacked up high behind her. Above this shop is the sign: 'G. FISHER Fancy. 73'. 7 The shop to right of the passage is numbered '74'; it has a window with large panes, with sheets of paper or posters displayed, and a closed door to right. To right of this is the start of another shop, roughly indicated. Above the shops are the bottom halves of several windows, with a woman leaning out from one above the passage, and to right of her, a signboard casting a shadow to right, A woman with a shopping bag stands on the pavement at far left; and another woman and child stand in front of the right-hand shop window. A boy stands on the pavement in front of the passage, and to left of him a toddler appears to be stepping into the road.
7: 'Fancy' is not clear; it could read 'Honey'.
SITE
Carl Fischer, Baker, was at No. 73 York Street, Westminster, London, in 1888. The word 'Fancy' above the window must indicate 'Fancy Goods'. Next door, at No. 74, was Henry Cook, Chandler's, and at No. 76, Cyril Burt, Chemist (only the door of the chemist's is visible). 8
In the same area Whistler etched Rochester Row, Westminster 383. The area has been considerably redeveloped, although the scale of the buildings is not much altered.
In the same area Whistler etched Rochester Row, Westminster 383. The area has been considerably redeveloped, although the scale of the buildings is not much altered.
8: London Postal Directory, 1888.