Sunrise at Sea was sold at auction by Sotheby's, London, 4 March 1880 (cat. no. 85). It could have been an earlier work such as another unlocated work, Sunset [M.0486], that was exhibited in 1874, or a recent pastel, such as Venice at Sunset [M.0741]. In March 1880 Whistler was still in Venice. It is therefore not certain that this was actually by Whistler, although it is possible.

It is catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 740).