Composition

A Freshening Breeze, Terra Foundation

The Anchorage, Freer Gallery of Art

There appear to be pentimenti in the form of additional ships to the left of the pier. A watercolour known as The Anchorage [M.0887], which may have been painted about the same time, shows approximately the same scene, but with more ships at the pier.

Technique

A Freshening Breeze, Terra Foundation

It is painted with vigorous, fairly broad brushstrokes. It marks quite a considerable change in Whistler's technique, with the figure and boats being outlined in black before the colour was added. The sky is very boldly and roughly painted, the brush jabbing roughly down over the clouds, changing into smoother, more flowing strokes above and below the horizon.

Conservation History

A Freshening Breeze, photograph, before 1980

A Freshening Breeze, Terra Foundation

There are areas of fine craquelure over much of the surface. The edges have been abraded by the frame, and there are places along the top that have either been abraded or scraped off or simply not painted.

Frame

39.2 x 29.2 x 2.5 cm (15 7/16 x 11 1/2 x 1").