UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

The Corresponence of James McNeil Whistler
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Alfred Chapman, 1839-1917

Nationality: English
Date of Birth: 1839.01.11
Place of Birth: Preston, Lancashire
Date of Death: 1917.07.11
Place of Death: 8A Oxford Road, Southport, Lancashire

Identity:

Alfred Chapman's family lived in Liverpool. His brothers and sisters included Ellen, George and Dr Chapman, all of whom JW knew.

Life:

An engineer and industrialist, Chapman worked at the Phoenix foundry in Liverpool. He was one of JW's major patrons in the 1870s. JW may have met him through F. R. Leyland. Between 1874 and 1878 Chapman bought Nocturne: Blue and Silver - Bognor (YMSM 100) (painted 1875/1876); Nocturne: Blue and Gold - Southampton Water (YMSM 117), bought by 22 June 1874 (#11251); Blue and Gold: Channel (YMSM 159), possibly bought in 1874 (see letters of 5 and 17 July 1876); Nocturne: Battersea Reach (YMSM 160), bought on 22 June 1874 (#11251); Cremorne (YMSM 168), bought [6] November 1877 through C. A. Howell; and lastly, Nocturne: Grey and Gold - Chelsea Snow (YMSM 174) painted by 1876 and bought by 1878, again possibly through Howell. Not all these pictures have been identified with extant pictures.

Bibliography:

Young, Andrew McLaren, Margaret F. MacDonald, Robin Spencer and Hamish Miles, The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler, New Haven and London, 1980, (cat. nos. 89, 100, 117, 120, 159-60, 168, 174).