Little Nude Figure |  Hunterian Art Gallery (46968) | |
| Number: | 330 | |
| Date: | 1887/1888 | |
| Medium: | etching | |
| Size: | 84 x 50 mm | |
| Signed: | butterfly at lower left | |
| Inscribed: | no | |
| Set/Publication: | no | |
| No. of States: | 1 | |
| Known impressions: | 4 | |
| Catalogues: | K.340; M.339 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (4) | ||
TECHNIQUE
In this etching, the figure was bitten rather lightly and the shading above her more heavily. The darkest lines are those of the butterfly signature, which may have been added to the plate after the figure and then bitten separately. Usually printed on dark papers, the effect is always rather shadowy and imprecise. The figure, drawn with repeated outlines and small patches of shading, is set against an unspecific background shadow made up of larger patches of shading and cross-hatching. The shoulder and arm at right, in particular, have multiple outlines, suggesting the pose was slightly altered.
PRINTING
Four impressions have been located. One impression was printed in black ink on buff laid or Asian laid paper with slight tone around the edges (
). Two more, one in dark brown and one in black ink, are on buff laid paper, with a partial 'PRO PATRIA' watermark (, ). One, being in dark brown ink on a cream laid paper, appears rather lighter. All are trimmed to the platemark and signed on the tab with a butterfly and 'imp.' to show that Whistler printed them.
). Two more, one in dark brown and one in black ink, are on buff laid paper, with a partial 'PRO PATRIA' watermark (, ). One, being in dark brown ink on a cream laid paper, appears rather lighter. All are trimmed to the platemark and signed on the tab with a butterfly and 'imp.' to show that Whistler printed them.