UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

This plate was begun in etching, and the changes made in the second state were also etched. The outlines of the butterfly at far right and some shading at the upper left corner of the doorway above it may be drypoint, but those lines became faint or were obliterated by new etched shading in the second state. The main composition was drawn with long uneven and broken lines, plus many shorter curved and crooked lines, and scattered irregular patches of shading. However, the doorways were carefully shaded with three or four layers of closely hatched lines, creating deep, shadowy interiors. There are many dots and flecks of foul biting across the composition, which add to the hazy atmosphere.

The sole known impression of the first state of High Street, Brussels was printed in black ink on watermarked ivory laid paper (). Of the known impressions of the second state, most are printed in black ink. They were printed on laid papers, on ivory (, ), cream (, ), and paper with a 'PRO PATRIA' watermark (, ), the latter in dark brown ink. They are all trimmed to the platemark and signed on a tab with Whistler's butterfly and 'imp.' to show that he printed them.