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Upright Venice |  Hunterian Art Gallery (46851) | |
| Number: | 232 | |
| Date: | 1879-1880 | |
| Medium: | etching and drypoint | |
| Size: | 255 x 180 mm | |
| Signed: | butterfly at lower left (3-final) | |
| Inscribed: | no | |
| Set/Publication: | 'Second Venice Set', 1886 | |
| No. of States: | 7 | |
| Known impressions: | 39 | |
| Catalogues: | K.205; M.202; W.172 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (39) | ||
STATE
Seven states are known before cancellation.
State 1
There is no signature or inscription.
The background is mostly complete; with many vertical and diagonal scratches on the upper two-thirds of the plate and acid droplets at the plate centre.
State 2
Vertical scratches remain on the upper two-thirds of the plate, but the diagonal scratches at left and acid droplets at centre have been removed or reduced; small patches of foul biting appear at the lower left corner and lower centre.
State 3
Signed with a butterfly at lower left.
With new gondolas and sailboats added to the background and with the foreground of figures on a quayside fully delineated; there is a faint trace of a stick-figure gondolier on the stern of the gondola at left; many new fine vertical plate scratches are visible throughout the image, along with evidence of scraping at the bottom and near the corners; two small patches of foul biting appear along the left edge at centre.
State 4
The butterfly signature is slightly altered, making the shaded areas at the top and sides of the wings more rounded.
A few short lines, indicating ripples, are added to the water above and below the gondola in the foreground at left; the vertical plate scratches and evidence of scraping are reduced; the two patches of foul biting at the left edge are removed.
The plate scratches and lines indicating ripples are more or less visible on impressions of this state, depending upon inking, wiping and wear during the course of printing.
Published in this and later states by Messrs Dowdeswell and Thibaudeau with the Twenty-six Etchings (the 'Second Venice Set') in 1886.
State 5
New vertical lines extend the reflection below the gondola at left; small changes to the figures in the foreground include diagonal shading on the back of the man at right in the nearest figure group and a lengthened left leg on the second man from the right.
State 6
A tall gondolier, in silhouette, is added to the stern of the gondola at left; the 'fero' (metal piece at the gondola bow) is widened at the top; new vertical and diagonal shading are added to the reflection below the gondola; the gondolier's reflection is indicated with diagonal lines.
The only known evidence of this state, illustrated here, is a fragment of the etching in the collection of the British Museum. The paper was torn in half vertically, indicating that it must have been a working proof that was meant to be destroyed.
State 7
The gondolier in silhouette and his reflection are removed, but traces of his lower legs remain faintly visible; more vertical lines are added to the reflection of the gondola canopy.
State 7 (cancelled)
Cancelled with crossed diagonal lines.