Etchings Institutions search term: copley society
C. L. Drouet, Sculptor |  Freer Gallery of Art (1889.27) | |
| Number: | 35 | |
| Date: | 1859 | |
| Medium: | etching and drypoint | |
| Size: | 226 x 152 mm | |
| Signed: | 'Whistler' at lower right, 'Whistler Maitre Eaufortier' at upper right | |
| Inscribed: | '1859.' at lower right; 'Drouet. Sculpteur.' at lower centre | |
| Set/Publication: | 'Cancelled Plates', 1879 | |
| No. of States: | 2 | |
| Known impressions: | 73 | |
| Catalogues: | K.55; M.55; T.55; W.53 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (73) | ||
STATE
Two states are known before the cancellation, which occurred in two stages, and the restoration of the plate.
State 1
Signed and dated 'Whistler 1859.' at lower right; inscribed 'Whistler Maitre Eaufortier' at upper right and 'Drouet. Sculpteur.' above the lower edge, just to left of centre.
Drouet's head and upper torso are completed, but his crossed arms and hips are only partially indicated.
State 2
The heavy shading on the man's forehead and cheek is considerably reduced; shading is added to the figure's right sleeve and hip; his left arm is partly redefined; two fine, slightly curving vertical lines below his right forearm indicate the centre of his jacket; vertical and diagonal lines now define his left hip, over and between the plate signature and date at right; pale horizontal lines are added to right of his sleeve and left hip; vertical lines are added to the space between his shoulder and right hip.
State 2 (cancelled a)
Cancelled with diagonal lines across the face and shoulders, some of them crossed, as well as a short left to right diagonal line (\) or scratch at upper left and a short right to left diagonal line at the right edge, just above centre; a number of slightly diagonal and curved marks appear below and to the left of the inscription 'Drouet. Sculpteur.'
State 2 (cancelled b)
Cancellation lines across the figure's forehead, eyes and cheek are removed; pale crossed diagonal lines -- like the top of an 'X' -- appear at upper right, near the inscription 'Whistler Maitre Eaufortier', which is now faint.
Published in an album of Cancelled Plates ('Cancelled Set') by The Fine Art Society, London, 1879.
State 2 (restored)
The remaining cancellation lines across the figure's nose and beard are removed, along with remnants of cancellation lines on both sides of his head; the fine lines on the face that had been affected by cancellation are retouched, most notably in the area around the eyes, which is now more heavily shaded, particularly between and below the brows.
Impressions taken from the plate at this stage are deceptive, but they may be easily distinguished from the second state by the presence of a few cancellation lines as well as evidence of wear. The faint top of an 'X' at upper right remains visible, as does the short right to left diagonal line near the right edge, just above centre. The slightly diagonal and curved marks below and to left of the inscription 'Drouet Sculpteur', which appeared at the original time of cancellation are present, and the inscription 'Whistler Maitre Eaufortier' at upper left, which was quite legible in the second state, is now almost completely worn away.