UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

This was published by Messrs Dowdeswell and Thibaudeau with the Twenty-six Etchings (the 'Second Venice Set') in 1886; Whistler delivered in all 1093 prints and was paid £2.10.6 for printing each dozen prints. 9

San Biagio was first exhibited at the Fine Art Society in London in 1883. In the exhibition catalogue, written by Whistler, Whistler ironically twinned it with an excerpt from an earlier review in the Observer: 'So far removed from any accepted canons of art as to be beyond the understanding of an ordinary mortal.' 10 However, it was much admired in 1883 by the critic of the Saturday Review:

'Again, in "San Biagio", we find a strikingly broad and true feeling and expression of atmosphere in the sky space seen through the arch; and we find a masterly treatment of the texture and transparency of the water, a treatment indeed which in etching is little short of surprising.' 11

The same show was then seen at H. Wunderlich & Co. in New York in 1883. Wunderlich's showed impressions several times in later years, in 1898 - when one was sold to Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919) () - and twice in 1903. F. Keppel & Co. also exhibited impressions in New York in 1902 and 1904, as did Obach & Co. in London in 1904. 12

A small and brief exhibition of the 'Second Venice Set' at the Hogarth Club in 1887 inspired one art critic to enthusiasm:

One of two etchings owned by Bryan Lathrop (1844-1916) was exhibited in the exhibition organised by the Caxton Club in Chicago in 1900 either ( or ). Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919) also lent an impression to the same exhibition ( or ). 14 James Cox-Cox (ca 1849- d.1901) lent one to the Glasgow International of 1901. 15

Impressions were shown in the Memorial Exhibitions after Whistler's death, including three exhibited at the Grolier Club in New York in 1904, two in the Copley Society exhibition in Boston in 1904, lent by Lathrop and Howard Mansfield (1849-1938) (); and single impressions in Paris and London (the latter lent from the Royal Collection) in 1905 (). 16

The earliest impressions were printed in Venice, and one or two were snapped up at that time. One for instance was acquired from Whistler by Otto Henry Bacher (1856-1909) (). George Aloysius Lucas (1824-1909) bought one soon after Whistler's return (). On 8 August 1882 Whistler sold an impression to the London print dealer Thomas M. McLean (b. ca 1832) for £5.5.0. 17 He also sold an impression to the Royal Collection on 12 September 1882 for £6.6.0 (); and much later this impression was sold through Obach & Co., in 1906, to Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919). 18 On 23 June 1884 Whistler sold one to the Fine Art Society, London, again for £6.6.0. 19

Most sales were done through Messrs Dowdeswell and Alphonse Wyatt Thibaudeau (ca 1840- d.1892) after publication in 1886. Dowdeswell's gave a set including an impression of San Biagio to the British Museum in 1887 (). Thibaudeau sold a set for £52.10.0 through Gustave Lauser (b. ca 1841) to H. Wunderlich & Co. in May 1888, and it was bought by Isabella Stewart Gardner (1840-1924) in 1890 ().

Whistler's most important American patron Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919) bought one impression from Keppel & Co. in 1887 (), another from the collection of Francis Seymour Haden, Sr (1818-1910) through Wunderlich's in 1898 (); one from Thomas Way (1837-1915) in 1905 (); one from the Royal Collection bought, as mentioned above, in 1906 (); and one of the first state from E. Gottschalk (dates unknown) in 1908 ().

At auction, prices were variable. At Christie’s, London, 27 November 1888 (lot 162) one impression failed to make its reserve price. On the other hand, one was sold from the collection of the late Joshua Hutchinson Hutchinson (ca 1829 - d.1891) at Sotheby's, 3 March 1892 (lot 258) to Edmund F. Deprez (1851-1915) for a very good price, £7.10.0. A complete set owned by Mrs Edward Fisher of Abbotsbury, Newton Abbot. sold at Christie’s, 13-14 July 1897 (lot 316) to Colnaghi's for £82.0.0.

Towards the end of his life Whistler sold one impression on 24 December 1902 to the London print dealer Robert Dunthorne (b. ca 1851) for £15.15.0 and another on 8 June 1903 for £12.12.0. 20 These were high prices, perhaps reflecting the dealer's awareness that Whistler was failing.

Early American collectors included Samuel Putnam Avery (1822-1904) (); Bryan Lathrop (1844-1916) (); Henry Harper Benedict (1844-1935) (); Walter Stanton Brewster (1872-1954) (, ); Howard Mansfield (1849-1938) ( ); Charles Deering (1852-1927) (); Harry Brisbane Dick (1855-1916) (, ); Margaret Selkirk Watson Parker (1867-1936) (); Louisine Waldron Havemeyer (1855-1929) (); Harris G. Whittemore (d. ca 1937) ().