The Riva, No. 1

Object Details

• Artist

  James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903)

• Description

  Canceled plate for the print "The Riva."

• Label

  Whistler's contract with the Fine Art Society required him to produce one hundred impressions of each of twelve prints. He did not make all twelve hundred impressions at once, but printed them in batches as they sold. Since the society sold the prints separately as well as in sets, Whistler completed printing the more popular images first. When he finished printing an image, Whistler "canceled" the plate by defacing it. He finished printing The Riva, No. 1 by mid-June 1892, when he sent the canceled plate to the society. For an example of the print, see F1893.92.

  Whistler etchings are identified by "K" numbers as assigned in Edward Kennedy's catalogue, The Etched Work of Whistler, (New York: Grolier Club, 1910; and subsequent editions). This print is K192; canceled copper plate.

• Provenance

  1892

  Max Williams Co., New York to 1892 [1]

  From 1892 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Max Williams Co. in 1892 [2]

  From 1920

  Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]

  Notes:

  [1] See Original Whistler List, Plates, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

  [2] See note 1.

  [3] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Whistler in Venice: The First Set of Etchings (July 1, 2001 to January 13, 2002)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Max Williams Co. (C.L. Freer source)

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  United States

• Credit Line

  Gift of Charles Lang Freer

• Type

  Tool and Equipment

• Restrictions and Rights

  CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1880s, 1870s

• Name

  Williams, Freer, Charles Lang

• Place

  United States

• Topic

  Charles Lang Freer collection, Art, American Art, Metal-work

• Culture

  Americans

• Object Type

  Tools and equipment, Copper (metal)