Little Arthur

A portrait of Arthur Charles Haden (1852-1910) who was the youngest son of Whistler’s half-sister Deborah Delano Haden (1825-1908) and Sir Francis Seymour Haden (1818-1910). Earlier impressions were published in The French Set: Twelve Etchings from Nature (Douze eaux-fortes d’après Nature) in November 1858. It was likely drawn during Whistler’s stay at Haden’s home in Sloane Street, London during February or March 1858.

There is a direct connection between Dundee and Arthur Haden. As an adult Arthur, from the late 1870s onwards, lived and worked in Dundee and Broughty Ferry as a music teacher. He was a professional violinist and soprano and a shared interest in music and art may have brought him into Orchar’s circle. Orchar himself was a talented violinist and owned a number of antique violins (he owned two by Stradivarius, a Joseph Guarneri and an Amati) he was a generous player: “During his lifetime he was every ready to lend them to players skilled enough to make proper use of them”. (‘B.F.’ as quoted by ‘Collector’, ‘Mr Orchar’s Bequest of Violins – To the Editor of The Violin Times’, The Violin Times, Vol. 5, Issue 57, July 1898, p.172. Indeed, his talent as a violinist brought a visit of the noted Hungarian violinist Joseph Joachim to Angus Lodge. Entry on James Guthrie Orchar, The Dictionary of Scottish Architects: http://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk/).

According to the Dundee Directories, Dundee Central Library, Local History Centre. A.C. Haden was listed as a violinist resident at 12 Perth Road, Dundee between 1878 and 1879. Between 1880 and 1881 his address was listed as 63 Constitution Road. Haden and his wife were next listed as resident at 3 Tay Square, Dundee. Haden was listed as a Professor of Music whilst his wife was a Professor of Singing. There are no other entries until 1898-99 when Mrs Haden appears as teacher of singing, Kinnaird Hall, Dundee. Home address 21 Windsor Terrace, Brook Street, Broughty Ferry.

A.C. Haden died on 28 June 1910, aged only 57, in his home at 26 Brook Street, Broughty Ferry, Dundee from complications relating to diabetes.

1. Edward G. Kennedy, The Etched Work of Whistler. New York, Grolier Club, 1910 (9)
2. Howard Mansfield, A Descriptive Catalogue of the Etchings and Dry-Points of James Abbott McNeill Whistler. Chicago, Caxton Club, 1909 (7)
3. Ralph Thomas, A Catalogue of the Etchings and Drypoints of J.A M. Whistler. London, John Russell Smith, 1874 (8)
4. Sir Frederick Wedmore, Whistler’s Etchings: a Study and a Catalogue. London, Thibaudeau, 1886 (13)
5. Whistler Etchings Project (8)

1. British Museum, Department of Prints and Drawings, London, UK
2. Hunterian Art Gallery Collections, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
3. Victoria and Albert Museum: Print Collection, London, UK

See the Whistler Etchings Project for a list of impressions.

1. Emmanuel Bénézit, Dictionary of Artists. Paris, Gründ, 2006
2. Rodney K. Engen, Dictionary of Victorian Engravers, Print Publishers and Their Works. Cambridge, Chadwyck-Heley, 1979
3. Kenneth M. Guichard, British Etchers 1850-1940. London, Robin Garton Ltd., 1977
4. Katharine A. Lochnan, The Etchings of James McNeill Whistler. New Haven and London, Yale University Press, 1984
5. Margaret F. MacDonald, James McNeill Whistler. Drawings, Pastels and Watercolours. A Catalogue Raisonné. New Haven and London, Yale University Press, 1995
6. William Rough, ‘A cluster of butterflies: James Guthrie Orchar and his collection of Whistler etchings and drypoints’, Journal of the Scottish Society for Art History, Volume 16, 2011-12