Eagle Wharf
Date1859
MediumEtching
DimensionsImage Size: 5 3/8 × 8 7/16 in. (13.7 × 21.4 cm)
Frame Size: 11 3/4 × 14 7/8 in. (29.8 × 37.8 cm)
ClassificationsPrint
Object numberTFH020
DescriptionPerhaps the most prominent artist featured in Charles Lang Freer’s collection, and the artist with the biggest impact on Freer’s artistic sensibilities, was James McNiell Whistler. Freer first learned of Whistler in 1886 during his early foray into the art world and was mesmerized. He would go on to acquire many of Whistler’s works before finally meeting him in person in 1890. Freer took a bold approach while traveling in London where Whistler resided and decided to show up to his house unannounced. This gamble paid off and the two of them would go on to be close friends until Whistler’s death in 1903. One of the most longstanding traits Whistler left with Freer was a passion for the meshing of western and eastern art which remained a prominent theme throughout Whistler’s body of work and reflected itself in Freer’s collection. While Whistler’s 1859 etching, Eagle Warf, was neither a commission of Freer’s, nor a part of his original collection, Freer’s dedication to gathering and preserving his friend’s work long after his death makes its place within the Freer House all the more significant.
The piece depicts the banks of the Thames River, not an uncommon theme amongst Whistler’s work. In fact, Eagle Warf is one of sixteen etchings in set titled the Thames Set made by Whistler during his years long stay in Wapping, an area of London known for its rough character. In it, a figure sits on a boat near the docks during a low tide, as signified by the beached ships behind them. Tall buildings, warehouses, and shops can be seen dotting the crowded coastline. Uncharacteristic of Whistler’s later work, the signs are in full view and can be read clearly, denoting the exact place the etching portrays.
The inspiration behind Whistler’s attempts to capture the rugged beauty of London’s less fashionable sights was, in part, thanks to French Author, Charles Baudelaire. Baudelaire insisted that art should reflect the modern world with all of its imperfections, and his writing had a profound effect on Whistler’s approach to his work.
One of the more recent additions to the house, Eagle Warf was acquired by Wayne State University through a charitable donation in 2025.
