Etchings Institutions search term: kupferstichkabinett berlin
La Vieille aux Loques |  Hunterian Art Gallery (46706) | |
| Number: | 27 | |
| Date: | 1858 | |
| Medium: | etching and drypoint | |
| Size: | 207 x 147 mm | |
| Signed: | 'Whistler' at lower right (2-final) | |
| Inscribed: | 'Imp. Delatre. Rue St. Jacques. 171.' (3); partly erased (4) | |
| Set/Publication: | 'French Set', 1858 | |
| No. of States: | 4 | |
| Known impressions: | 113 | |
| Catalogues: | K.21; M.21; T.9; W.14 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (113) | ||
STATE
Four states are known before cancellation.
State 1
There is no signature or inscription.
The composition is basically complete; the right side of the oval hanging basket and some vertical lines on the doorframe behind it are in drypoint.
Drypoint appears only in the first state of La Vieille aux Loques as those lines are removed in the following one (see State 2 below).
State 2
Signed 'Whistler' (the 's' reversed) next to the door frame at lower right.
Vertical lines to left of the door frame at right, above centre, are removed; the hanging basket is erased where it crossed the door frame, but still visible; shading on the shawl, to right of her right arm, is removed; shading is added on the sleeve of her left arm; shading and cross-hatching are added on her face and right hand, all over the skirt and apron, the shadows and the covered jar above the sack at lower left, and the cabinet or stove at left, behind the woman; new shading and cross-hatching are added in the interior, including horizontal lines on the ceiling; fine lines are added on the baskets and bundles behind the door frame at right; long verticals define the right side of the door frame, and short verticals shade its lower left side, above the step; the face of the step is shaded with regular vertical lines and rough faint horizontals; light horizontals shade the pavement in the near foreground.
State 3
Inscribed 'Imp. Delatre. Rue St. Jacques. 171.' (the 't' in 'St' raised) at lower right.
Several horizontal lines are added to the top and face of the doorstep; the lower edge of the step is defined with new wavy horizontals.
Published in the 'French Set' in this state.
State 4
Delâtre's name and address is partially removed.
Foul biting around the inscription is removed; the tips of the copper plate corners were clipped off, so the platemark corners are blunt diagonals.
In some impressions the inscription is still partially visible (i.e. 
, , ). It is possible that the area was wiped clean of ink so that the remaining inscription did not register in other impressions, or that it was rubbed down more thoroughly (i.e. , ).
, , ). It is possible that the area was wiped clean of ink so that the remaining inscription did not register in other impressions, or that it was rubbed down more thoroughly (i.e. , ).State 4 (cancelled)
Cancelled with a horizontal and a vertical line, and two diagonals, which all intersect in the centre of the plate.