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Windows opposite Hotel, Bourges

Impression: National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
(1943.3.8638)
Number: 397
Date: 1888
Medium: etching
Size: 100 x 67 mm
Signed: butterfly at lower right
Inscribed: no
Set/Publication: no
No. of States: 1
Known impressions: 2
Catalogues: K.401; M.400
Impressions taken from this plate  (2)

TECHNIQUE

This plate was executed in pure etching.

PRINTING

Back in London from the honeymoon, Whistler went to work proofing and printing his plates. Two impressions of Windows opposite hotel, Bourges have been located, out of at least four impressions printed. One was printed in brown ink on cream laid paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K4010103) and the other in black on ivory laid paper with a partial Strasbourg Lily watermark (Graphic with a link to impression #K4010102). Both are trimmed to the platemark, leaving a tab for the butterfly and 'imp.' to show that Whistler printed it, and both date from 1888 or 1889.
In July 1889, Whistler had two impressions of what was then listed as 'Hotel Windows Brusseles' but was probably this etching; and one mounted and three unmounted impressions a year or so later. 10

10: Whistler, lists, 18 July 1889 and [1890/1891]; GUW #13235, #13236.