The buildings of Limehouse are shown on the right with the Thames and shipping in the distance on the left. The low viewpoint shows a complex arrangement of boats, masts, wooden piles and building. A woman walks up the steps on the right and a man descends a precariously positioned gangplank on the far right. Buildings, boat and river are all linked and merge as one continuous whole.

Along the right side of the image runs a series of buildings, one of which is marked with the text “UR MAS.” The University of Glasgow Catalogue Raisonne of Whistler’s etchings suggests that the full text would read “HARBOUR MASTER” which indicates the location of this work would be looking east away from Wapping. For centuries before the building of the docks, the riverside wharves were the Port of London. With the coming of the docks, the wharves became busier than ever, handling huge quantities of imported food and raw materials. There were many types of wharves, reflecting the rich diversity of commercial life on the river.

For centuries before the building of the docks, the riverside wharves were the Port of London. With the coming of the docks, the wharves became busier than ever, handling huge quantities of imported food and raw materials. There were many types of wharf, reflecting the rich diversity of commercial life on the river.

Born in Massachusetts, Whistler was not strictly a marine painter, but he did produce many views of the Thames. This illustration of Limehouse was one of Whistler's 'Series of Sixteen Etchings on the Thames', published in 1871. The work was exhibited at the Royal Academy as The Thames, near Limehouse; etching in 1861 while Whistler was staying at Rotherhithe. He etched the plates for these prints after he moved to Wapping in 1859. He worked directly with his subjects and by doing so, succeeded in highlighting the existence of a working-class maritime community in the city of London. The work is signed and dated ‘Whistler 1859’, lower right.