UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

The Two Doorways

Impression: Freer Gallery of Art
Freer Gallery of Art
(1891.1)
Number: 221
Date: 1879/1880
Medium: etching and drypoint
Size: 204 x 296 mm
Signed: butterfly at left (4-final)
Inscribed: no
Set/Publication: 'First Venice Set', 1880
No. of States: 13
Known impressions: 54
Catalogues: K.193; M.190; W.158
Impressions taken from this plate  (54)
Etching: PK193_01 (plate)
The copper plate is close in size to The Doorway [193]. Both plates are stamped on the verso with the oval stamp, 'HUGHES & KIMBER (LIMITED) / MANUFACTURERS / LONDON E.C.' Both were brought by Whistler from London to fulfil the Fine Art Society's commission for a set of twelve etchings, and were published in Venice, a Series of Twelve Etchings (the 'First Venice Set') in 1880.
The printing of the edition was not completed in Whistler's lifetime. The copper plate came with Whistler's estate to Rosalind Birnie Philip (1873-1958), who arranged for the edition to be completed by Frederick Goulding (1842-1909). The plate was then cancelled. It was cancelled with irregular diagpnal lines and then with a large butterfly. Miss Philip gave the cancelled plate to the University of Glasgow in 1935.