James McNeill Whistler (Lowell, Massachusetts, 1834 - 1903, London, England)
Thames Warehouses, 1859
Etching on Japanese paper, 7.9 x 20.3 cm (3 1/8 x 8 in.)
This small rectangular etching is packed with details. The piece depicts a scene of buildings and boats along the Thames River in England. In the background, spanning from our left to right, is a row of tightly packed, multi-story warehouses. Lines and shading create the building structure, including roof tiles, awnings, windows, and shingles. At midground, in front of the warehouses, are a multitude of wooden boats. Some appear to be as simple as rowboats, while most are sailing ships with high masts and sails that seem to reach up to the skyline. Figures of workers can be seen sitting or working on the boats. Moving into the distance to our right, more ships are seen along the horizon. Smoke from a smokestack curls up in a spiral. In the foreground, workers pull the lines on two boats, one a long, narrow, canoe-like boat, and a smaller one, partially hidden behind it. In the lower area to our right is the artist’s signature.
Short Gallery
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.