UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

Etchings         Institutions search term: british museum

Eagle Wharf

Impression: Freer Gallery of Art
Freer Gallery of Art
(1898.270)
Number: 50
Date: 1859
Medium: etching
Size: 140 x 217 mm
Signed: 'Whistler.' below centre
Inscribed: '1859.' at lower centre
Set/Publication: 'Thames Set', 1871
No. of States: 1
Known impressions: 73
Catalogues: K.41; M.40; T.40; W.39
Impressions taken from this plate  (73)

TECHNIQUE

This is pure etching, with no drypoint.

PRINTING

Over seventy impressions have been located plus three from the cancelled plate. About 1862, Whistler recorded either the number of impressions printed, or more likely the number of impressions of some etchings in stock: 'Limehouse 10. / Tunnel pier 2. / Black Lion 8. / Graveur - 2 / Thames Police. 20 / Tyzack 5' 19

19: [May 1862/1864?], GUW #12745, p. 38.

It is likely that the impressions acquired by Francis Seymour Haden, Sr (1818-1910) were among the earliest printed. They were printed in black ink; papers include a light green or blue 'antique' (pre-1800) laid paper now faded to off-white with 'I Honig Zoonen' watermark, (Graphic with a link to impression #K0410104). A similar medium-weight greenish off-white laid paper was used for another impression acquired by Philippe Burty (1830-1890), possibly in Paris (Graphic with a link to impression #K0410112). Another impression owned by Haden is on buff 'antique' laid with a lion watermark (Graphic with a link to impression #K0410170).
Other early impressions include one given - or at least inscribed - to George Aloysius Lucas (1824-1909), which is on pale tan 'antique' laid (Graphic with a link to impression #K0410108); one inscribed 'Early proof - 1st state' on pale grey oatmeal-texture wove paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K0410111); and one on a bluish off-white laid paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K0410143).
A significant number of impressions are on Asian paper. An early impression signed by Whistler is on a buff Asian rag paper with grey fibres (Graphic with a link to impression #K0410157): others are on thin cream Japanese tissue (Graphic with a link to impression #K0410109); cream or ivory Japanese (Graphic with a link to impression #K0410160, Graphic with a link to impression #K0410118); cream Asian laid (Graphic with a link to impression #K0410120, Graphic with a link to impression #K0410135, Graphic with a link to impression #K0410151); and ivory Japanese laid paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K0410123, Graphic with a link to impression #K0410141).
In addition many published by Ellis & Green in 1871 are on watermarked laid paper, including 'DEDB' and beehive watermarks (Graphic with a link to impression #K0410102, Graphic with a link to impression #K0410142, Graphic with a link to impression #K0410168) and 'DE ERVEN DE BLAUW' (Graphic with a link to impression #K0410126, Graphic with a link to impression #K0410150, Graphic with a link to impression #K0410159). Other watermarked sheets include ivory paper with partial 'HUDELIST' watermark (Graphic with a link to impression #K0410125; and cream 'modern' paper with a circular watermark (Graphic with a link to impression #K0410149).
Other papers include ivory laid paper removed from a book, which was used for two impressions (Graphic with a link to impression #K0410105, Graphic with a link to impression #K0410106); paper removed from a ledger with blue edges (Graphic with a link to impression #K0410156); a dark cream uneven and soiled sheet of 'antique' laid paper from a book (Graphic with a link to impression #K0410132); and soiled ivory laid paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K0410171). Sometimes, but rarely, it was printed on wove paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K0410152).
A late impression, possibly from the edition printed by Frederick Keppel (1845-1912), is on a white laid paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K0410158). Cancelled impressions are on cream or ivory wove paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K0410201, Graphic with a link to impression #K0410202, Graphic with a link to impression #K0410203).