John Henry Twachtman Catalogue Raisonné
An online catalogue by Lisa N. Peters, Ph.D., in collaboration with the Greenwich Historical Society
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Keywords
E.703
Boats on the Maas
ca. 1885–88
Etching on paper
12 1/2 x 17 3/4 in. (31.8 x 45.1 cm)
Inscribed below plate, lower right: To my friend Chase / Twachtman
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Gift of Carl Zigrosser, 1952 (1952-80-12)
Provenance
Literature
Van Rensselaer 1888–I
Van Rensselaer, Mrs. Schuyler [Mariana]. "Fine Arts: The Academy Water-Color Landscapes and Etchings." Independent 40 (February 16, 1888), p. 7, as Boats on the Maas.
Baskett 1966
Baskett, Mary Welsh. "Prints." In John Henry Twachtman: A Retrospective Exhibition, by Richard J. Boyle, Mary Welsh Baskett, and Philip R. Adams. Cincinnati: Cincinnati Art Museum, 1966. Exhibition catalogue (1966 Cincinnati Art Museum), pp. 33, 38 ill. in b/w, as Boats on the Maas.
Baskett 1999
Baskett, Mary Welsh. John Henry Twachtman: American Impressionist Painter as Printmaker—A Catalogue Raisonné of His Prints. Bronxville, N.Y.: M. Hausberg, 1999, pp. 30–31, 90–91, ill. in b/w, as Boats on the Maas. (Baskett concordance).
Peters 1999–I
Peters, Lisa N. John Henry Twachtman: An American Impressionist. Atlanta: High Museum of Art, 1999. Exhibition catalogue (1999 High Museum of Art), pp. 50–51 ill. in b/w (fig. 24), as Boats on the Maas.
Commentary

Mary Baskett states that lifetime impressions of this large-plate etching are either proofs printed by the artist or commercially printed etchings produced by Christian Klackner and including his firm’s name, address, and copyright date with the plate mark. Baskett notes that due to the small handful of impressions associated with Klackner’s print run, this etching was not a commercial success.

An impression of the etching in the Philadelphia Museum of Art (illustrated here) is inscribed in pencil in the lower right margin: “To my friend Chase / Twachtman.” This suggests that Twachtman created the image during the summer of 1885 when he spent time in Holland with William Merritt Chase. However, its large size and its carefully structured design indicate that the work may have been at least to some degree produced by Twachtman in his studio. In fact, he could have based it on the watercolor Boats on the Maas (WC.601), which depicts the scene in reverse. Harbor Scene, Dordrecht (WC.602) may also have supplied Twachtman with inspiration. Both watercolors were presumably created by the artist during his 1881 honeymoon in Holland. All three works include the same church, which has yet to be identified.

This etching was featured in the 1888 exhibition that presented works by the American Water Color Society and the New York Etching Club. There the watercolor Boats on the Maas was also on view. Reviewing the show for Independent, Marianna Van Rensselaer commented: “Mr. Twachtman etches ‘Boats on the Maas’ almost as charmingly as he paints them in aquarelle.”

In addition the etching is related in composition to the painting, Harbor View (OP.609), of ca. 1881, which seems to have been also exhibited with the title of Boats on the Maas. 

The impression of this etching in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, illustrated here, is a lifetime print, State I. It was given to the museum by Carl Zigrosser (1891–1975), curator of prints and drawings at the museum from 1940 to 1963. 

Lifetime states (from Baskett 1999)

I. Plate measures 366 x 502 mm, 14 3/8 x 19 1/2 in.; before signature at lower left.

II. Plate reduced to 267 x 426mm, 10 1/2 x 16 3/4 in.; signature "Twachtmann" added at lower left.

III. With publication line added above upper left orner of etched borderline, "Copyright 1888 by C. Klackner 17 E. 17th St. N.Y." Klackner edition.