The Forge

1861

James Abbott McNeill Whistler American, 1834 - 1903

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About the Artwork

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Markings

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Provenance

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Exhibition History

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Published References

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Catalogue Raisonné

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Credit Line for Reproduction

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About the Artwork

Title The Forge

Artwork Date 1861

Artist James Abbott McNeill Whistler

Life Dates 1834 - 1903

Nationality Please note: Definitions for nationality may vary significantly, depending on chronology and world events. Some definitions include: Belonging to a people having a common origin based on a geography and/or descent and/or tradition and/or culture and/or religion and/or language, or sharing membership in a legally defined nation. American

Culture Please note: Cultures may be defined by the language, customs, religious beliefs, social norms, and material traits of a group. Unknown

Medium Drypoint printed in black ink on laid paper

Dimensions Plate: 7 3/4 × 12 1/2 inches (19.7 × 31.8 cm) Sheet: 8 5/8 × 13 1/2 inches (21.9 × 34.3 cm)

Classification Prints

Department Prints, Drawings & Photographs

Credit Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Sheldon Stern

Accession Number This unique number is assigned to an individual artwork as part of the cataloguing process at the time of entry into the permanent collection. Most frequently, accession numbers begin with the year in which the artwork entered the museum’s holdings. For example, 2008.3 refers to the year of acquisition and notes that it was the 3rd of that year. The DIA has a few additional systems—no longer assigned—that identify specific donors or museum patronage groups. F77.125

Markings

Signed Signed and date in the plate, lower right:, Whistler 1861

Inscriptions Inscribed, in pencil, lower left corner: K68 III

Marks Watermark, 'DE ERWEN DE [superscript 'E'] BLAUW Stamped, in black, possibly pale purple, lower right corner,' BPL over MB' (Lugt 4745) signifying Boston Public Library/Merrill Bequest

Provenance

Hiram Campell Merrill [1866-1958] (Lugt 4745) Boston Public Library. Dr. and Mrs. Sheldon D. Stern

1978-present, gift to the Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit, Michigan, USA)

For more information on provenance and its important function in the museum, please visit:

Provenance page

Exhibition History

Please note: This section is empty

The exhibition history of a number of objects in our collection only begins after their acquisition by the museum, and may reflect an incomplete record.

We welcome your feedback for correction and/or improvement.

Suggest Feedback

Published References

Please note: This section is empty

We regularly update our object record as new research and findings emerge, and we welcome your feedback for correction and/or improvement.

Suggest Feedback

Catalogue Raisoneé

Please note: This section is empty

Credit Line for Reproduction

James Abbott McNeill Whistler, The Forge, 1861, drypoint printed in black ink on laid paper. Detroit Institute of Arts, Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Sheldon Stern, F77.125.