Annie Haden |  Hunterian Art Gallery (46749) | |
| Number: | 67 | |
| Date: | 1860 | |
| Medium: | drypoint | |
| Size: | 357 x 217 mm | |
| Signed: | 'Whistler.' at lower left | |
| Inscribed: | '1860.' at lower left | |
| Set/Publication: | no | |
| No. of States: | 4 | |
| Known impressions: | 17 | |
| Catalogues: | K.62; M.62; T.51; W.57 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (17) | ||
PUBLICATION
Annie Haden was not published.
EXHIBITIONS
Annie Haden was exhibited in both Britain and America. It was shown twice in 1874, at Whistler's one man show in London, and with the collection of James Anderson Rose (1819-1890) in Liverpool and elsewhere. 10 Samuel Putnam Avery (1822-1904) lent an impression of the second state, described as 'Trial proof; very rare; dated 1860' as well as a third state to the Union League Club in New York in 1881 (
, ). 11
Howard Mansfield (1849-1938) made a substantial list of etchings for inclusion in the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893. He then asked Whistler for any comments and Whistler suggested Annie Haden. Mansfield did his best to comply, including his own impression of Annie Haden (), and wrote:
, ). 11 Howard Mansfield (1849-1938) made a substantial list of etchings for inclusion in the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893. He then asked Whistler for any comments and Whistler suggested Annie Haden. Mansfield did his best to comply, including his own impression of Annie Haden (
), and wrote:10: London Pall Mall 1874 (cat. no. 50); Liverpool 1874 (cat. no. 487); see REFERENCES: EXHIBITIONS.
11: New York 1881 (cat. nos. 79, 80).
'I received your letter as I was on the point of sending the list to Chicago for use in preparing the catalogue. Of course I made what changes I could in accordance with your suggestions ... Fortunately an extra frame had gone large enough for "Annie Haden" ... I will send you a list of the fifty-nine prints which now represent you. They are chosen impressions, and make a brave show. They were hung together, three deep, on the line, in a space by themselves.' 12
12: 15 May 1893, GUW #04002; Chicago 1893 (cat. no. 2223).
Among the print dealers and collectors Mansfield consulted was Edward Guthrie Kennedy (1849-1932) of H. Wunderlich & Co., which exhibited impressions of Annie Haden in New York in 1898 and 1903. Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919) bought one from the 1898 show and lent it to the Caxton Club in Chicago two years later (). 13 In 1900 Whistler wrote directly to Kennedy about obtaining good impressions for the Exposition Universelle in Paris:
). 13 In 1900 Whistler wrote directly to Kennedy about obtaining good impressions for the Exposition Universelle in Paris:13: New York 1898 (cat. no. 54); Chicago 1900 (cat. no. E052)
'this is a rush to tell you to send over the most magnificent proofs - say about 30. of them - for the Great Exposition -
Of course I dont know how many they can place - But the rest I think I can show in an Exhibition of my own I am thinking of!! -
In short something very swell must be done - and you are of course the man to do it -
I want the fine full length of "Annie Haden" - (dry point) - "Jo" - Axenfeld - "Chancellerie" - "Mairie" (Loches)'. 14
14: [12/15 February 1900], GUW #09799.
Kennedy promptly turned this task over to Mansfield, who had bought many fine impressions from him. Unfortunately there does not seem to have been enough time to organise these loans. In the following year Whistler was again trying to organise loans for his own projected exhibition. This time he wrote to Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919):
'And now it is time to think about the exhibition in Paris we talked over together - ...
Now I want much to make a beautiful show of the etchings - & if you can send me a chosen set of your proofs of course it will be perfect -
...
I shall write ... also to Mansfield -
Among your dry points, you have a fine proof have you not? of Annie Haden? - I mean the large full length in the cloak and hat? -
I need not tell you that I shall be deeply grateful to you -' 15
15: 10 February 1901, GUW #03190.
Again, this exhibition did not materialise. However, James Cox-Cox (ca 1849- d.1901) lent an impression to an international show in Glasgow in 1901 and Mansfield to a loan show in Philadelphia in 1902. 16
After Whistler's death, others were exhibited in the comprehensive exhibition at the Grolier Club in New York in 1904, and in the Whistler Memorial Exhibitions in London (lent by King Edward VII) and Paris in 1905. 17
After Whistler's death, others were exhibited in the comprehensive exhibition at the Grolier Club in New York in 1904, and in the Whistler Memorial Exhibitions in London (lent by King Edward VII) and Paris in 1905. 17
16: Glasgow 1901 (cat. no. 239); Philadelphia 1902 (cat. no. 947 (57))
17: New York 1904a (cat. no. 58a-d); London Mem. 1905 (cat. no. 57); Paris Mem. 1905 (cat. no. 319)
SALES & COLLECTORS
Annie Haden was among the first of Whistler's etchings to be sold to a public collection. It was among 16 etchings sold for a total of £10.10.10 by Francis Seymour Haden, Sr (1818-1910) to South Kensington Museum on 1 January 1861 (). 18 Haden also kept both a first and a final state for his own collection. These were sold through Wunderlich's of New York in 1898 to Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919) (). Freer had already bought a third state in 1892 ().
). 18 Haden also kept both a first and a final state for his own collection. These were sold through Wunderlich's of New York in 1898 to Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919) (). Freer had already bought a third state in 1892 (). 18: V&A Register of Prints, p. 32.
The second purchase by a public collection was the British Museum, which bought an impression of the fourth state in 1872, from Edmund Thomas (1842-1883) or Percy Thomas (1846-1922) ().
). In a letter to Samuel Putnam Avery (1822-1904), in July 1873, Whistler boasted of prices received for his prints at auction. Whistler wrote:
'… I have a proof of "the Man" for you and shall get one of the large Annie Haden - But since you left there has been a sale of several proofs of mine at Sothebys Auction rooms - ...All were bought by Colnaghi, for selling again of course - except the Forge, which was bought by Ralph Thomas - So you see even at an auction the prices these proofs fetch and you cannot expect me to let you have them at lower rates - Besides of course you can ask them as well in America as in London - Now I got £10.10.0 for the large Annie Haden - and as it is a very rare and fine dry point - I dont doubt you could get 12 [or] 15 - gs for it because of course your opportunities for doing so are greater than mine - If you will take two or three of them you shall have them at 7. guineas apiece -' 19
19: [ca 7 July 1873], GUW #10628.
Avery certainly acquired a fine impression of the second state from Whistler inscribed by the artist 'One of my very best' () and another, of the fourth state, possibly about 1875 ().
) and another, of the fourth state, possibly about 1875 (). In 1877 Whistler sold an impression of 'Annie standing' - possibly this drypoint - to Charles Augustus Howell (1840?-1890). 20 He also definitely sold an impression of Annie Haden to the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle for £10.10.0 (). 21 It was exhibited at the Whistler Memorial Exhibition in London in 1905 and sold in 1906 through Thomas Agnew & Sons, London and Wunderlich & Co., New York, to Margaret Selkirk Watson Parker (1867-1936) ().
). 21 It was exhibited at the Whistler Memorial Exhibition in London in 1905 and sold in 1906 through Thomas Agnew & Sons, London and Wunderlich & Co., New York, to Margaret Selkirk Watson Parker (1867-1936) ().Auction prices varied wildly. At Christie’s in 1881 an impression 'on India paper' failed to make its reserve of £1.9.0. During the John W. Wilson (dates unknown) sale in 1887 a 'brilliant impression on India paper, laid down' was bought by Alphonse Wyatt Thibaudeau (ca 1840- d.1892) for £9.0.0. At the sale of the collection of the late Joshua Hutchinson Hutchinson (ca 1829 - d.1891), 'Annie Haden' was bought by Edmund F. Deprez (1851-1915) of Deprez & Gutekunst for £6.0.0, and went straight to Wunderlich's, who sold it on to Freer in May 1892 (). 22 In 1897 Edward Guthrie Kennedy (1849-1932) wrote to Whistler:
). 22 In 1897 Edward Guthrie Kennedy (1849-1932) wrote to Whistler:22: Christie’s, 23 March 1881 (lot 194); Sotheby's, 23 April 1887 (lot 405); Sotheby’s, 3 March 1892 (lot 108).
'Business is picking up. I have three portfolios of Whistler's etchings & lithos. out on approval to different people & hope for sales. ...You will see the "Annie Haden" for Pollitt [Herbert Charles Jerome Pollitt (1871-1942)] at Lauser's, should you care to look at it.' 23
23: 11 November 1897, GUW #07292.
Other early collectors included John Henry Wrenn (1841-1911) (); Albert Henry Wiggin (1868-1951)(); Henry Harper Benedict (1844-1935) and Emma Regina Martin (1921-2009) (); Henry Graves Jr. and Herbert Greer Finch ().
); Albert Henry Wiggin (1868-1951)(); Henry Harper Benedict (1844-1935) and Emma Regina Martin (1921-2009) (); Henry Graves Jr. and Herbert Greer Finch (). Whistler owned the copper plate of Annie Haden but had neglected to retain an impression. Accordingly, when one came on the market he tried to buy it back. This was a few months before his death, when his health was failing badly. Unfortunately he was unable to retrieve this impression, which came from the collection of Bernard Buchanan MacGeorge (1845?-1924), and which had actually been returned to Whistler for signing in the 1890s (). As he was told by David A. Kennedy (fl.1895-1915): 'Unfortunately the "Axenfeld" and "Annie Haden", from the Macgeorge Collection of etchings have been promised on this side. I'm sorry about this as I would like you to have them.' 24 It was in fact bought by Mansfield. One of the people who saw that impression at Wunderlich's was Robert Goodloe Harper Pennington (1854 or 1855-1920), who told Whistler:
). As he was told by David A. Kennedy (fl.1895-1915): 'Unfortunately the "Axenfeld" and "Annie Haden", from the Macgeorge Collection of etchings have been promised on this side. I'm sorry about this as I would like you to have them.' 24 It was in fact bought by Mansfield. One of the people who saw that impression at Wunderlich's was Robert Goodloe Harper Pennington (1854 or 1855-1920), who told Whistler:24: 10 February 1903, GUW #07339.
'Kennedy is showing a collection of your etchings at this present time. They are fine proofs, nearly all of them. One, a full-length of "Annie Haydon," [sic] is superb.' and, in his last letter to Whistler, wrote 'Every now & then some etchings ... are to be seen either in the shops or galleries. There was one which Kennedy had, lately, a most marvellous impression of that "Annie Haden" plate - the one in hat & cloak, full-length. I do not know when anything has given me so much pleasure.' 25
Whistler must have bitterly regretted the loss of his favourite drypoint, and refused to let the copper plate be cancelled.