Westminster Bridge in Progress |  Colby College Museum of Art, Maine (2013.495) | |
| Number: | 77 | |
| Date: | 1861 | |
| Medium: | etching and drypoint | |
| Size: | 150 x 352 mm | |
| Signed: | 'Whistler.' at lower right | |
| Inscribed: | '1861.' | |
| Set/Publication: | no | |
| No. of States: | 1 | |
| Known impressions: | 2 | |
| Catalogues: | K.72; M.74; W.70 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (2) | ||
TECHNIQUE
Whistler began work on this copper plate in etching and then made numerous drypoint additions: the leaning figure at left, the rail behind him and bollard in front of him; the head and shoulders at lower right; the small segment of a view through the construction to the right of the leaning figure; the prow of a boat and figures above it to the left of centre under the construction; and fine curving diagonals on the sky at right. At that point, he left the plate unfinished.
PRINTING
This is a very rare etching. Only two impressions have been located (
, ). Both known impressions are on 'antique' (pre-1800) laid paper. One is in black ink on ivory paper with a 'PRO PATRIA' watermark (), the other in dark brown ink on a slightly irregular sheet of dark cream 'antique' paper (). Both are good impressions with fine detail, but show a pronounced area of foul biting along the lower edge of the copper plate, mostly to right of centre.
, ). Both known impressions are on 'antique' (pre-1800) laid paper. One is in black ink on ivory paper with a 'PRO PATRIA' watermark (), the other in dark brown ink on a slightly irregular sheet of dark cream 'antique' paper (). Both are good impressions with fine detail, but show a pronounced area of foul biting along the lower edge of the copper plate, mostly to right of centre.