UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

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Arthur Haden

Impression: Freer Gallery of Art
Freer Gallery of Art
(1892.1)
Number: 66
Date: 1859
Medium: drypoint
Size: 229 x 154 mm
Signed: 'Whistler.' (2-final) at lower left
Inscribed: '1869' at lower left (2-3); changed to '1859' (4)
Set/Publication: 'Cancelled Plates', 1879
No. of States: 4
Known impressions: 31
Catalogues: K.61; M.61; T.59; W.47
Impressions taken from this plate  (31)

TECHNIQUE

The portrait was drawn in drypoint, with bold outlines, fine shading, and stronger lines for the rich texture of the jacket, and curly hair.

PRINTING

Impressions are almost equally divided between cancelled and non-cancelled impressions.
Impressions were printed in black ink, often on Asian papers, including the first state on light grey China laid ('gasenshi') paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K0610102) and cream Japanese laid paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K0610103). Later impressions are on cream Japanese paper discoloured to tan (Graphic with a link to impression #K0610202); ivory Japan ('kozo') laid paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K0610203); cream Japan ('hosho') laid (Graphic with a link to impression #K0610204); dark ivory fibrous 'India' paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K0610206); soft ivory Japanese tissue (Graphic with a link to impression #K0610302) and cream Asian laid tissue (Graphic with a link to impression #K0610303). Other papers include a light-weight ivory laid western paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K0610304); and a dark tan laid, possibly 'modern' (post-1800) or Asian paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K0610335).
Cancelled impressions are in black ink on a more limited range of western papers including cream wove (Graphic with a link to impression #K0610405); cream 'modern' laid with the Strasbourg Lily watermark (Graphic with a link to impression #K0610401, Graphic with a link to impression #K0610404); ivory laid (Graphic with a link to impression #K0610402) and ivory laid with the watermark of 'Van Gelder' in script (Graphic with a link to impression #K0610408).
It is worth noting that very high quality reproductions with platemarks (photogravures or electrotypes) exist, and are sometimes mistaken for the original drypoint. It is not certain whether these were made for a publication or album of reproductions.