UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

The few known impressions of Shipping, Venice, show the beginnings of two subjects on one copper plate. There is a drypoint sketch of posts and railings - or bridge-like structures - just below the centre, and those vague outlines are 'cancelled' by a faint 'X'. As the cancellation suggests, the first subject was abandoned, but it was not scraped out and does not appear to relate to the etched work on the upper half of the plate. While the view of the Giudecca Canal at the top is more fully developed, the plate was left unfinished.

Only a couple of proofs appear to have been printed, and they show marks of foul biting. Apparently Whistler decided not to correct or develop the etching. A rough proof of the first and only state was printed in black ink with irregular print-tone and numerous finger prints on light grey Asian laid paper, a sheet removed from a book, with sewing holes still visible (). The other known impression is on buff laid paper, printed without tone (). Finally, an impression originally owned by Otto Henry Bacher (1856-1909) and probably obtained by him in Venice, has not been located ().