Savoy Pigeons

Object Details

• Artist

  James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903)

• Edition/State

  1, 1

• Label

  In the foreground, two pigeons perch on the metal railing of the Savoy Hotel balcony. The view is towards Westminster, with Charing Cross Railway Bridge in the middle distance, and Lambeth Palace, the Houses of Parliament, and Westminster Bridge in the background.

  Whistler lithographs are identified by "C." numbers as described in The Lithographs of James McNeill Whistler (Chicago: The Art Institute of Chicago, 1998). This print is C154, first and only state.

• Provenance

  From 1902 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Company of the Butterfly, London, in 1902 [1]

  From 1920

  Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [2]

  Notes:

  [1] See Original Whistler List, Lithographs, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives. Society of the Butterfly [Company of the Butterfly] was James McNeill Whistler's London business through which he sold his works. Mr. Freer purchased this object from the Society of the Butterfly in March 1900, and paid Mr. Whistler on June 16, 1902 (see Curatorial Remarks in the object record).

  [2] 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: Streetscapes, Urban Change (November 18, 2023 to May 4, 2024)

  An American in London: Whistler and the Thames (May 3 to August 17, 2014)

  Whistler and the Thames (December 17, 2000 to June 17, 2001)

  Lithographs and Lithotints by Whistler (March 23, 1925 to March 24, 1930)

  Special Exhibition, Whistler Etchings and Lithographs (January 14, 1924 to February 18, 1924)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Company of the Butterfly (1897-1903) (C.L. Freer source)

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  United States

• Credit Line

  Gift of Charles Lang Freer

• Type

  Print

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1890s

• Name

  Company of the Butterfly, Freer, Charles Lang

• Place

  United States

• Topic

  Charles Lang Freer collection, Art, American Art, Cities and towns, Pigeon

• Culture

  Americans

• Object Type

  Prints