UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

Fumette

Impression: Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
(1934.542)
Number: 12
Date: 1858
Medium: etching
Size: 163 x 109 mm
Signed: 'Whistler' at lower right (2-final)
Inscribed: 'Imp. Delatre. Rue St. Jacques, 171' at lower left (5)
Set/Publication: 'French Set', 1858
No. of States: 5
Known impressions: 75
Catalogues: K.13; M.15; T.12; W.18
Impressions taken from this plate  (75)

TECHNIQUE

Fumette is entirely etched. There appears to be pale open bite around the figure in the first state.

PRINTING

The proofs of the first (Graphic with a link to impression #K0130101) and second (Graphic with a link to impression #K0130201) state were printed in black ink on wove card. The unique first proof was inscribed by Whistler '"Fumette" / 1st State -'. The only extant impression of the third state, also in black, is on cream 'antique' (pre-1800) laid paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K0130302).
Impressions of the etching as published were printed on a variety of papers in dark brown or black ink, for instance in black ink on chine collé (Graphic with a link to impression #K0130409, Graphic with a link to impression #K0130z05), on tan Japan (Graphic with a link to impression #K0130433) and on off-white laid paper watermarked 'M & L / Fine Copy/ 1814' (Graphic with a link to impression #K0130446); in brown ink on ivory paper with the watermark of a Strasbourg Lily above cursive 'J' above '1820' (Graphic with a link to impression #K0130423) and in dark brown ink on 'modern' (post-1800) cream laid paper with a Scallop shell watermark (Graphic with a link to impression #K0130403).