Etchings Institutions search term: fine art society
Alderney Street |  Hunterian Art Gallery (54863) | |
| Number: | 246 | |
| Date: | 1881 | |
| Medium: | etching | |
| Size: | 180 x 113 mm | |
| Signed: | butterfly at upper right | |
| Inscribed: | no | |
| Set/Publication: | 'Gazette des Beaux-Arts', 1881 | |
| No. of States: | 3 | |
| Known impressions: | 35 | |
| Catalogues: | K.238; M.236; W.196 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (35) | ||
TECHNIQUE
This is pure etching, with foul biting supplying some texture, and a layer of plate tone adding atmosphere and colour to the plate when it was published.
PRINTING
Only three impressions of the first state (i.e. 
), as printed by Whistler, have been located in public collections; one, for instance, was printed in black ink on ivory laid paper ().
), as printed by Whistler, have been located in public collections; one, for instance, was printed in black ink on ivory laid paper (). It was steeled and printed in a large edition in 1881 by the firm of Alfred Cadart (1828-1875) for the Gazette des Beaux-Arts. 12 The number of this edition is not known, but it was large, and is to be found mostly in libraries, although numerous impressions have been cut out of the journal.
12: Duret 1881 .
It was printed in black ink over an even layer of plate tone on ivory laid paper (, ), which has often darkened to cream () or buff (). The lines of the etching extend beyond the plate tone. The printed lettering on some impressions has been trimmed off by later owners ().
, ), which has often darkened to cream () or buff (). The lines of the etching extend beyond the plate tone. The printed lettering on some impressions has been trimmed off by later owners ().The plate was returned to Whistler who printed some more impressions (the third state) in 1887 - three on 16 May and three on 31 May 1887. He had two proofs left on 18 July 1889. 13 One of these was printed in black ink on laid watermarked paper (), and others on ivory laid paper (, ), all signed on the tab with a butterfly and 'imp.' to show that Whistler printed them, although it is possible one was not signed by Whistler, but by an assistant ().
), and others on ivory laid paper (, ), all signed on the tab with a butterfly and 'imp.' to show that Whistler printed them, although it is possible one was not signed by Whistler, but by an assistant ().