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Steamboat Fleet, Chelsea

Impression: Freer Gallery of Art
Freer Gallery of Art
(1898.401)
Number: 155
Date: 1875/1877
Medium: drypoint
Size: 139 x 215 mm
Signed: no
Inscribed: no
Set/Publication: 'Cancelled Plates', 1879
No. of States: 2
Known impressions: 19
Catalogues: K.156; M.153; W.223
Impressions taken from this plate  (19)

TECHNIQUE

It is pure drypoint, drawn mostly with long, sweeping lines, strengthened by additional shading on the ships in the second state, and with the background clarified by fine shading along the horizon.

PRINTING

The drypoint is very rare; only one impression of the first state (Graphic with a link to impression #K1560102) and two of the second are recorded (Graphic with a link to impression #K1560102, Graphic with a link to impression #K1560202). The first state was printed in black ink on ivory laid paper with a 'DEDB' and beehive watermark, the second on watermarked laid paper, one sheet with the Arms of Amsterdam watermark, taken from a book (the sewing holes are visible) (Graphic with a link to impression #K1560202). They are printed with a notably soft and furry burr.
Most impressions are from the cancelled plate. It was published in an album of Cancelled Plates ('Cancelled Set') by The Fine Art Society, London, 1879 possibly in an edition of 20 or 24. Impressions were printed in black ink, usually on laid paper, including cream paper with Van Gelder (Graphic with a link to impression #K1560302, Graphic with a link to impression #K1560309) and Strasbourg Lily (Graphic with a link to impression #K1560303) watermarks.