Rotherhithe began as a preliminary study for a painting that Whistler was engaged in
the planning and execution of between June and November of 1860, a painting which he was very secretive about for fear that the subject would be stolen by fellow painter Gustave Courbet.

The compositional techniques used by Whistler in this etching are indicative of the keen interest the artist had developed during this period for Japanese ukiyo-e woodcuts. With Rotherhithe, Whistler took a major step in adapting the basic elements of ukiyo-e spatial organization to his own work. For this reason, in conjunction with the drama of the composition and encyclopedic range of etching techniques, this etching has become the most famous of those produced by the artist during his Thames period.

Reference: Kennedy, 66

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