UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

Etchings         Institutions search term: isspg

Balcony, Amsterdam

Impression: Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
(2007.116)
Number: 446
Date: 1889
Medium: etching and drypoint
Size: 272 x 169 mm
Signed: butterfly at right
Inscribed: no
Set/Publication: no
No. of States: 4
Known impressions: 27
Catalogues: K.405; M.404; W.262
Impressions taken from this plate  (27)

TECHNIQUE

It is an etching, drawn with fine broken outlines, the textures and shadows added with both fine etched and carefully integrated drypoint shading and cross-hatching, possibly rubbed down eventually with charcoal to soften the shadows further. The shadows and reflections were extended (suggesting that Whistler worked on this etching not just in the studio, but on site, at different times of day). In the later states, Whistler took pains to ensure that the central block of the building was differentiated from those at each side.

PRINTING

There was a print-run of over 30, not all of which have been located. The impression inscribed '1st proof pulled' was printed in black ink on ivory laid paper with an unidentified watermark (Graphic with a link to impression #K4050102). It is the sole known impression of the first state. One impression of the second state (Graphic with a link to impression #K4050208) and one of the third (Graphic with a link to impression #K4050207) are in very dark brown ink, with rich surface tone in the water, on laid paper with an Arms of Amsterdam watermark. Another third state is in dark brown ink on cream laid 'Pro Patria' watermarked paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K4050302).
Some impressions of the 'Amsterdam Set' were dated and numbered, for instance.
Balcony, Amsterdam dated '1. Mar. 6' (Graphic with a link to impression #K4050z02);
The Long House (The Dyers, Amsterdam) [453] dated '1 Mar 6' (Graphic with a link to impression #K4060305), '2. Mar. 6' (Graphic with a link to impression #K4060304), '4. Mar. 6' (Graphic with a link to impression #K4060303), and '5. Mar. 6' (Graphic with a link to impression #K4060302);
Bridge, Amsterdam [447] was also marked '3. mar. 6' (Graphic with a link to impression #K4090307).
This suggests at least six impressions of Dutch etchings were printed on 6 March, and it may be that the duplication of the '1 March' numbering indicates prints selected for individual clients. Obviously some numbers have been lost, removed, or sre simply not visible (they were written in very small script) so the record is not complete.
The first - Balcony, Amsterdam - and second - Long House - Dyer’s - Amsterdam - impressions printed on 6 March 1890 were in dark brown ink on light-weight cream, Asian paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K4050z02, Graphic with a link to impression #K4050304). After that a variety of papers was employed.
Most impressions of Balcony, Amsterdam were made of the fourth state; some were printed in dark brown ink on a laid paper with 'PRO PATRIA' watermark (Graphic with a link to impression #K4050302, possibly Graphic with a link to impression #K4050311). Others are in black ink on buff laid paper with a partial 'DHK' countermark (Graphic with a link to impression #K4050313), and on ivory laid paper with foolscap watermark (Graphic with a link to impression #K4050303), as well as in both brown (Graphic with a link to impression #K4050203, Graphic with a link to impression #K4050319) and black ink (Graphic with a link to impression #K4050312) on ivory laid paper with the Arms of Amsterdam watermark, which was entirely appropriate. Some were printed in dark brown ink on ivory Asian paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K4050306, Graphic with a link to impression #K4050315).
After Whistler's death, a small print-run of the final state was made at the request of Rosalind Birnie Philip (1873-1958) by Nathaniel Sparks (1880-1956). 8 One, reproduced below, was printed by Sparks in warm black ink on laid paper with a Foolscap watermark (Graphic with a link to impression #K4050303) and one in dark brown ink on ivory laid paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K4050311).

Impression: K4050303

On 18 June 1931 Sparks recorded:

8: Note, 18 June 1931, published in Martin Hopkinson, 'Nathaniel Sparks's Printing of Whistler's Etchings', Print Quarterly, 1999, Vol. 16, No. 4, pp. 340, 342, 349.

'The Balcony - Amsterdam - Printed from the proof presented by the Master to Drummonds Bank - In recognition of their kindness to him.
Seven proofs were pulled from this plate,
Two were destroyed & returned in pieces to Miss Burnie [sic] Philip. The two were bad prints.
The Five remaining being good proofs - ' 9

9: Martin Hopkinson, 'Nathaniel Sparks's Printing of Whistler's Etchings', Print Quarterly, 1999, Vol. 16, No. 4, pp. 340, 342, 349.

They were printed sympathetically, very closely following Whistler's printing methods. Sparks appears to have been given one impression by Miss Birnie Philip. Sparks added 'The plate is the property of Glasgow University & is never to be printed from again.' 10

10: Ibid., p. 352.