The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

Street scene may date from around 1890, but could date from as late as 1901. The technique and butterfly are consistent with a late date. However, if, as has been suggested, it was owned by Joshua Hutchinson Hutchinson (b. ca 1829-d.1891), it would necessarily date from before 1891.

Street scene, Cleveland Museum of Art, Ohio.

It is catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1589), where it was dated '1899/1900'; this is incorrect if, has been suggested, it was owned by Joshua Hutchinson Hutchinson (b. ca 1829-d.1891), who died in 1891. The entry has therefore been corrected.

Images

Subject

Site

Street scene, Cleveland Museum of Art, Ohio.

Nesta Spink in her 1978 Ann Arbor exhibition, and the current (2021) Cleveland Museum of Art website give this the title 'Shops at Chester'. ¹ Whistler is known to have drawn one scene in that city, The Rows, Chester m1588, in 1899/1890. However, this could be a scene in London or France. Whistler drew, etched and painted several subjects like the old clothes shop at right.

Technique

Technique

Street scene, Cleveland Museum of Art

See MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1589).

History

Provenance

• 1889/1891: acquired by Joshua Hutchinson Hutchinson (b. ca 1829-d.1891);
• 1892: possibly one of 'Two sketches' sold at auction, Christie's, London, 27 February 1892 (lot 31) and bought by 'Thomas'.
• 1924: given by Ralph King (1855-1926) and Mrs King to the Cleveland Museum of Art.

The provenance is uncertain. See MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1589).

Exhibitions

It was not exhibited in Whistler's lifetime.

Bibliography

Catalogues Raisonnés

• MacDonald, Margaret F., James McNeill Whistler. Drawings, Pastels and Watercolours. A Catalogue Raisonné, New Haven and London, 1995 (cat. no. 1589) as 'Street Scene'.

Catalogues 1855-1905

EXHIBITION:

• Spink, Nesta, Whistler: The Later Years, University of Michigan Art Gallery, Ann Arbor, 1978 (listed no. 55] as 'Shops at Chester'.

SALE:

• Possibly Christie's, London, 27 February 1892 (lot 31) 'Two Sketches'.

Catalogues 1906-Present

• Eitner, Lorenz (intro.) and Betsy G. Fryberger, Whistler: Themes and Variations, Stanford University Museum of Art, Stanford, 1978 (cat. no. 45).
• Spink, Nesta, and John Holmes, Whistler: The Later Years, [Checklist], Ann Arbor, 1978 (cat. no. 55).

Websites

• The Cleveland Museum of Art website at clevelandart.org.