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Weary |  Hunterian Art Gallery (54093) | |
| Number: | 93 | |
| Date: | 1863 | |
| Medium: | drypoint and roulette | |
| Size: | 199 x 132 mm | |
| Signed: | 'Whistler.' at lower left (4-final) | |
| Inscribed: | '63.' at lower left (4); date removed (5) | |
| Set/Publication: | no | |
| No. of States: | 6 | |
| Known impressions: | 35 | |
| Catalogues: | K.92; M.92; T.71; W.83 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (35) | ||
STATE
Six states are known before cancellation.
State 1
There is no signature or inscription.
The composition is basically complete; there is a sketch of a head, upside down at lower left, as well as other stray lines at lower right from the beginnings of an earlier subject on the copper plate.
State 2
A series of horizontal lines is added along the right edge of the image, from just below the top edge to just above the end of the outline of the chair; vertical lines are added to the space between the left side of the chair and the left edge, and they are crossed by a number of vertical lines at the top.
State 3
The horizontal lines at upper right now extend further left, to the right side of the chair, and a number of new horizontals at the bottom of the series cross the outlines of the chair; a few diagonal lines are added to the shading on the fabric at left, just below the arm of the chair.
The impression illustrated above was printed with heavy plate tone at upper left and right, and the ink was wiped in a diagonal direction, leaving wiping marks that could be mistaken for diagonal lines on those corners of the image.
State 4
Signed and dated 'Whistler. / 63.' at lower left, the 't' in Whistler left uncrossed.
Two parallel horizontal lines are added at the bottom of the series of horizontals at the upper right side; several downward-curving diagonals are added to the top of the shading on the left side of the bodice, and one longer, upward-curving diagonal is added to the shading at the bottom of the bodice.
Kennedy described an 'a' state (his state IIa) based upon two different printing styles in this state. 17 However, while some impressions were richly inked like the example illustrated above, and others were printed with less plate tone and/or retroussage (see example below), there was actually a fairly wide variety of subtle variations, which has led to confusion in determining impressions of Kennedy's states II and IIA. As his state IIa represented a printing variant rather than a change in the copperplate, only one state is included in this catalogue.
17: Kennedy 1910 , cat. no. 92, state IIa.
State 5
The date -- '63.' -- is removed.
Horizontal roulette work reinforces the shading at upper right; there is considerable new drypoint shading on the top and back of the chair, on the figure's hair and the shadow to the right of her face (which is now heavy and black) and on the sleeve and bodice of her frock; fine shading is added between the chair and the edge of the image at centre left and on the skirt. 18
18: This impression, which was reproduced in
Kennedy 1910
, cat. no. 92 III as his final state, was identified in 2019 (
).
State 6
Not reproduced.
Curved roulette lines reinforce the upper lines of the chair.
The new roulette work is present on the cancelled copper plate (), but no corresponding impression has been found.
), but no corresponding impression has been found.State 6 (cancelled)
Cancelled with one diagonal line.
No impression from the cancelled plate is known. This is a digital image based on the copper plate. 19
No impression from the cancelled plate is known. This is a digital image based on the copper plate. 19
19: A scan of the copper plate was flipped horizontally, converted to greyscale, and colour inverted, with enhanced contrast.