UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

La Rétameuse

Impression: Freer Gallery of Art
Freer Gallery of Art
(1898.213)
Number: 26
Date: 1858
Medium: etching
Size: 112 x 89 mm
Signed: 'Whistler.' at lower right (2)
Inscribed: 'Imp. Delatre. Rue St. Jacques. 171.' at lower left (2)
Set/Publication: 'French Set', 1858
No. of States: 2
Known impressions: 42
Catalogues: K.14; M.11; T.3; W.5
Impressions taken from this plate  (42)

TECHNIQUE

This was done in pure etching. The cross-hatched shading in the background consists of elaborate squiggly and curving lines to right, some following the curves of the figure and hat, as well as broader zigzags to left; there are much smaller, short and delicate strokes on the face.

PRINTING

Few impressions of the first state of La Rétameuse have been located. One is a good impression in a slightly warm coloured black ink on ivory laid paper, possibly taken from a book (Graphic with a link to impression #K0140103); another is in dark brown ink on 'modern' (post-1800) laid paper with a partial watermark (two joined semi-circles, Graphic with a link to impression #K0140102) and one on off-white wove paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K0140104).
Over thirty impression of the second state have been located. These include impressions in black ink on chine collé - that is, China paper laid down on off-white wove - (Graphic with a link to impression #K0140202) and on good quality thick Japanese paper, kaya or bamboo (Graphic with a link to impression #K0140206). Most are in black ink, and the range of colour of the 'chine' is considerable, from ivory (Graphic with a link to impression #K0140205) to tan (Graphic with a link to impression #K0140207, Graphic with a link to impression #K0140211). In addition there are impressions in dark brown (Graphic with a link to impression #K0140203) and black (Graphic with a link to impression #K0140225) inks on a range of western papers including cream 'modern' laid paper and ivory wove (Graphic with a link to impression #K0140204).