UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

Etchings         Institutions search term: dowdeswell

Clothes-Exchange, Houndsditch, No. 1

Impression: Hunterian Art Gallery
Hunterian Art Gallery
(46629)
Number: 358
Date: 1887
Medium: etching and drypoint
Size: 162 x 242 mm
Signed: butterfly at left
Inscribed: no
Set/Publication: no
No. of States: 2
Known impressions: 12
Catalogues: K.287; M.282; W.231
Impressions taken from this plate  (12)

TECHNIQUE

The plate was begun in etching, with just a few small touches of drypoint shading in the first known state. In the next state, Whistler added dark etched lines to the shading within the warehouse and fine drypoint lines to the shading of the upper window and to the wall above the awning. The subject was drawn with broken outlines and short jagged and curved lines, along with patches of shading and zigzag shading, and more elaborate shading on the warehouse interior and the wall above.

PRINTING

The first state of Clothes Exchange, Houndsditch, No. 1 was printed in dark brown ink on off-white laid paper with a 'DHK' countermark (Graphic with a link to impression #K2870102). Most impressions are of the second state, one being in black ink (Graphic with a link to impression #K2870204) and several in dark brown ink on 'antique' (pre-1800) laid paper with a PRO PATRIA watermark (Graphic with a link to impression #K2870202, Graphic with a link to impression #K2870203, Graphic with a link to impression #K2870208, Graphic with a link to impression #K2870204) including one sheet kept by Whistler (Graphic with a link to impression #K2870205). One is on a different paper, somewhat darkened, a buff laid paper with the Strasbourg Lily and 'GR' watermark (Graphic with a link to impression #K2870204). All are trimmed to the platemark and signed with a butterfly and 'imp.' to show that Whistler had printed them.