Provenance

• 1885: bought by Henry Studdy Theobald (1847-1934);
• 1902: bought by Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919), Detroit;
• 1919: bequeathed by C. L. Freer to the Freer Gallery of Art.

It was probably exhibited in Whistler's one-man show 'Notes' - 'Harmonies' - 'Nocturnes', Messrs Dowdeswell, London, 1884 and acquired at that time by H. S. Theobald, who was almost certainly the collector described by Whistler as having bought a number of paintings after the first Dowdeswell exhibition. Whistler wrote to Walter Dowdeswell (1858-1929):

'I must know the whereabouts of every one of my little pictures … you must arrange with the man who bought the lot that remained over after the exhibition of the "Flesh color & grey", to let his collection go with me to America.' 1

In June 1902, Whistler sent C. L. Freer a telegram 'Theobald paintings at Marchants') informing him that the paintings owned by Theobald were apparently for sale, and Freer bought this in August 1902 for $750. 2

Exhibitions

• 1884/1886: probably 'Notes' - 'Harmonies' - 'Nocturnes', Messrs Dowdeswell, London, 1884 (possibly as cat. no. 52, 'Note in blue and opal – The Sun Cloud') or 'Notes' - 'Harmonies' - 'Nocturnes', Second Series, Messrs Dowdeswell, London, 1886.

Since the first owner, H. S. Theobald, 'bought the lot that remained over after the [Dowdeswell] exhibition [of 1884]' and later sold a number to Freer, it seems likely that this painting was also in one of the Dowdeswell exhibitions (1884 or 1886) but none of the titles correspond conclusively. A painting with an appropriate title was shown in 1884 (cat. no. 52) and the press at the time commented that the title did not appear to apply to the numbered picture Note in Blue and Opal: The Sun Cloud [YMSM 271]: could the gallery have muddled up the titles?

By the terms of C. L. Freer's bequest to the Freer Gallery of Art, the painting cannot now be lent to another venue.