Nocturne in Blue and Gold: Valparaiso

Object Details

• Artist

  James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903)

• Provenance

  Capt. Henry Hill (1818-1882), Brighton, England, purchased from the artist [1]

  From 1889

  Alexander Ionides (1840-1898), London, purchased at auction, Christie's, May 25, 1889, no. 80, "Nocturne in Blue and Silver Valparaiso" [2]

  From 1892

  Sir John Charles Day, purchased in May 1892 [3]

  From between 1895-1897

  George McCulloch (1848-1907), British, purchased between 1895-1897 [4]

  From 1907

  Mrs. George McCulloch, by bequest from her husband, George McCulloch, in 1907 [5]

  To 1909

  Wallis and Son, The French Gallery, London, to 1909 [6]

  From 1909 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Wallis and Son, The French Gallery, through D. Croal Thomson, in 1909 [7]

  From 1920

  Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [8]

  Notes:

  [1] According to Curatorial Remark 3, S. Hobbs, 1977, in the object record, this painting was purchased from Whistler by Captain Henry Hill of Brighton. Upon Hill's death, it was sold at auction at Christie's, May 25, 1889, as no. 80, "Nocturne in Blue and Silver Valparaiso," to Alexander Ionides. It was then sold in May of 1892 to Sir John Day, and subsequently bought by George McCulloch, sometime between 1895 and 1897. It was bequeathed to McCulloch's widow on December 12, 1907. In July 1909, Charles Lang Freer purchased the painting from Wallis and Son, London, through D. Croal Thomson.

  [2] See note 1.

  [3] See note 1.

  [4] See note 1.

  [5] See note 1.

  [6] See List of Whistler Purchases since Making up the Smithsonian Inventory, pg. 12, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

  [7] See note 6.

  [8] 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

  A Perfect Harmony (October 14, 2017 - October 8, 2023)

  Freer & Whistler: Points of Contact (February 23, 2008 to January 3, 2016)

  James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903) (April 3, 2001 to January 24, 2008)

  Whistler & Japan (May 14, 1995 to January 1, 1996)

  American Art - James McNeill Whistler (May 9, 1993 to April 30, 1994)

  Arrangement in Yellow and Gold: Paintings by James McNeill Whistler (March 14, 1986 to April 1, 1987)

  American Paintings: James McNeill Whistler 1834-1903 (February 6, 1985 to March 4, 1986)

  James McNeill Whistler at the Freer Gallery of Art—Whistler and the Landscape (May 11, 1984 to February 5, 1985)

  American Paintings: James McNeill Whistler 1834-1903 (September 16, 1981 to March 26, 1984)

  American Paintings (March 20, 1981 to September 24, 1981)

  American Paintings: James McNeill Whistler (November 11, 1976 to March 18, 1981)

  Paintings by James McNeill Whistler (August 1, 1974 to December 5, 1975)

  Whistler—Landscapes and Seascapes (October 14, 1969 to September 25, 1971)

  Whistler Paintings (September 8, 1961 to October 15, 1969)

  American Paintings (September 8, 1961 to May 2, 1973)

  Centennial Exhibition, Galleries 10 and 11 (February 25, 1956 to November 3, 1959)

  Untitled Exhibition, Whistler Oil Paintings, Gallery 3, 1955 (December 16, 1955 to February 25, 1956)

  Untitled Exhibition, American Oil Paintings, Gallery 3, 1947 (September 25, 1947 to April 12, 1955)

  Untitled Exhibition, Works of Whistler (September 22, 1947 to April 11, 1955)

  Untitled Exhibition, Whistler Oil Paintings (February 12, 1944 to May 10, 1945)

  Untitled Exhibition, American Oil Paintings (May 1, 1933 to February 6, 1944)

  Whistler Landscapes, Oil (January 20, 1928 to May 1, 1933)

  Whistler Oils Exhibition (January 8, 1925 to January 20, 1928)

  American Paintings by J.A.McN. Whistler (May 2, 1923 to January 8, 1925)

  American Paintings, J.A.McN. Whistler (May 2, 1923 to February 12, 1944)

  Untitled Exhibition, University of Michigan Club, Detroit, 1914 (1914)

  A Selection of Art Objects from the Freer Collection Exhibited in the New Building of the National Museum (April 15 to June 15, 1912)

  Paintings in Oil and Pastel by James A. McNeill Whistler (March 15 to May 31, 1910)

  George McCulloch's Collection of Modern Painting and Sculpture (January 4 to March 13, 1909)

  Memorial Exhibition of the Works of the late James McNeill Whistler (February 22 to April 15, 1905)

  Comparative Exhibition of Native and Foreign Art at the Galleries of the American Fine Arts Society (November 15 to December 11, 1904)

  78th Exhibition of the Royal Scottish Academy of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture (Spring or Autumn of 1904)

  Second Exhibition of The International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers (May to July, 1899)

  World's Columbian Exposition (May 1 to October 30, 1893)

  Nocturnes, Marines and Chevalet Pieces (March through April, 1892)

  105th Exhibition (1890)

  Winter, Exhibition, Royal Society of British Artists (Winter 1887)

  Second Annual Exhibition of Modern Pictures, Royal Pavillion Gallery, Brighton (1875)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Capt. Henry Hill (1818-1882)

  Alexander Ionides (1840-1898)

  Sir John Charles Day (1826-1908)

  George McCulloch (1848-1907)

  Mrs. George McCulloch

  Wallis and Son, The French Gallery (C.L. Freer source)

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  United States

• Credit Line

  Gift of Charles Lang Freer

• Type

  Painting

• On View

  Freer Gallery 11: A Perfect Harmony

• Restrictions and Rights

  CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1860s, 1870s

• Name

  Hill, Henry, Freer, Charles Lang, McCulloch, George, Day, John Charles, Ionides, Alexander, Wallis and Son, The French Gallery

• Place

  United States

• Topic

  Art, Night, American Art

• Culture

  Americans

• Object Type

  Paintings

• On View

  Yes