Etchings Institutions search term: copley society
Arthur Haden |  Freer Gallery of Art (1892.1) | |
| Number: | 66 | |
| Date: | 1859 | |
| Medium: | drypoint | |
| Size: | 229 x 154 mm | |
| Signed: | 'Whistler.' (2-final) at lower left | |
| Inscribed: | '1869' at lower left (2-3); changed to '1859' (4) | |
| Set/Publication: | 'Cancelled Plates', 1879 | |
| No. of States: | 4 | |
| Known impressions: | 31 | |
| Catalogues: | K.61; M.61; T.59; W.47 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (31) | ||
TECHNIQUE
The portrait was drawn in drypoint, with bold outlines, fine shading, and stronger lines for the rich texture of the jacket, and curly hair.
PRINTING
Impressions are almost equally divided between cancelled and non-cancelled impressions.
Impressions were printed in black ink, often on Asian papers, including the first state on light grey China laid ('gasenshi') paper (
) and cream Japanese laid paper (). Later impressions are on cream Japanese paper discoloured to tan (); ivory Japan ('kozo') laid paper (); cream Japan ('hosho') laid (); dark ivory fibrous 'India' paper (); soft ivory Japanese tissue () and cream Asian laid tissue (). Other papers include a light-weight ivory laid western paper (); and a dark tan laid, possibly 'modern' (post-1800) or Asian paper ().
) and cream Japanese laid paper (). Later impressions are on cream Japanese paper discoloured to tan (); ivory Japan ('kozo') laid paper (); cream Japan ('hosho') laid (); dark ivory fibrous 'India' paper (); soft ivory Japanese tissue () and cream Asian laid tissue (). Other papers include a light-weight ivory laid western paper (); and a dark tan laid, possibly 'modern' (post-1800) or Asian paper ().Cancelled impressions are in black ink on a more limited range of western papers including cream wove (); cream 'modern' laid with the Strasbourg Lily watermark (, ); ivory laid () and ivory laid with the watermark of 'Van Gelder' in script ().
); cream 'modern' laid with the Strasbourg Lily watermark (, ); ivory laid () and ivory laid with the watermark of 'Van Gelder' in script ().It is worth noting that very high quality reproductions with platemarks (photogravures or electrotypes) exist, and are sometimes mistaken for the original drypoint. It is not certain whether these were made for a publication or album of reproductions.